First, I want to express my thanks, to Mike and the Valley Gazette, to Heather, and the staff and volunteers here at the Legion, and especially to all of you here in the audience for taking the time to be here today, to help make a difference in our community.
That is why I am here. I want to make a difference in our community.
For those that don’t know me, my name is Roger Prince. My family has been here for 5 generations and was one of the original polish families to settle in this area. As a young boy, living on the Prince family farm, which was located just off Hwy 60, above Arbor Vitae Road, overlooking Trout and Carson Lake, I learned the value of hard work and the importance of helping your neighbours. I went to school here and like many young people, I left for the city after graduating from Madawaska Valley District High school. I returned to my hometown after a successful business career and feel it is now my time to give back to this community by running for Mayor.
I have been asked; "Why run for Mayor, why not run for council first?" I believe that the best way I can contribute and make a difference is by running for Mayor. I believe this community needs strong Leadership and that is exactly what I have to offer.
I have 35 years of experience in business leadership roles with multinational corporations like Bell Canada, IBM, and GE Capital, to name a few. My specialty is taking underperforming teams and turning them around to be top in the county. I took Ingram Micro from $17 Million to $78 Million in 18 months. I lead my team with London life from 212th in the country to 5th in the county in less than 2 years. I bring those same leadership skills to this position of Mayor. I consistently lead teams to be top performers and I have every confidence that I can do the same here.
I also have the hands-on business and governance experience to be your next Mayor. I have worked with all 444 Municipalities across Ontario, (not just two), overseeing multimillion-dollar projects, and helping design creative and innovative infrastructure solutions for roads, bridges, water, and wastewater. I know what municipalities need, how they work, and where efficiencies can be found.
I have years of governance and volunteer experience and have sat on numerous Boards, including Board Chair of Durham Hospice and George Brown College. With the college, our role was to advise the college on the skills needed in business. This helped the college design courses to ensure students graduate with skills that matched the current needs in the workforce. Identifying needs in the community and matching skills to meet those needs is an important leadership skill that I bring to the position of Mayor.
As an executive coach, I helped to transform leadership teams, mentored CEOs and Presidents, and worked with start-ups as well as established businesses, to help them achieve excellence. Again, I bring these mentoring and leadership development skills to the position of Mayor. I have a proven track record of effective and respectful leadership and delivering results.
At that last All Candidate’s meeting my opponent shared a list of accomplishments he defined as success. I invite you to take a closer look with me here now:
1. Paugh Lake Road – my understanding is that this was funded by the Ontario government. I’m not sure how that can be considered a township accomplishment when provincial grant money is typically available for infrastructure projects.
2. Skeeds Road – My understanding is this was paid for by the developer, and the town had no other involvement outside of tendering the project. I expect more from my elected officials than that. I can promise that you can expect more from me should you elect me as your next Mayor. I believe in giving credit where credit is due and, in this case, the credit goes to the developer. I think you will agree that this is probably one of the best-paved roads in the township now.
3. The arena. My opponent stated that the township had the funds for the repairs available for two years and at no cost to the taxpayer. My question is, if they had the funds for two years why would they not schedule the repairs to be completed long before hockey season started? This is simply poor planning. Now parents have to drive an hour-and-a-half to and from Eganville for a 45-minute on-ice session. I’m sure our local families would rather be using the ice close to home.
Under my Leadership success will be measurable, credit will be given where credit is due, and projects will be run in a way that helps not hinders the community. Under my Leadership council decisions will be open and transparent. Closed sessions will be the exception, not the rule.
At the last All Candidates meeting one of the current councilors was asked if he would promise to consult with experts and scientists on environmental issues. He adamantly refused and openly stated he doesn’t believe in the science. For the record, I do believe in science and have no difficulty promising that I absolutely will consult with experts and report back the findings to all of you.
At the recent Housing Forum, we heard from current council members that affordable housing is a priority and a major issue. It begs the question that if housing has been a priority for this council, why hasn’t there been action on this over the past four years? Where are the results?
In our last town hall, I spoke about how this council worked hard to gag the freedom of the press at considerable expense to you and me as taxpayers. We still don’t know the details or the true financial costs. Has Insurance agreed to cover this cost? How much higher will our insurance premiums be now, and for how long as a result of this claim? Has the legal bill been paid already out of taxpayers' money? Why won’t the Council release the details? The Council was offered a chance to settle with an apology and a $500 donation to the hospital but refused and instead ran up a legal bill of over $350,000.
The recent Superior Court decision upheld by the Court of Appeal is a good point of reference to the unethical conduct of my opponent and this current council. Justice Doyle said in her decision “I find that the plaintiffs have suffered more than minimal or nominal damages” Justice Doyle went on to say “If the conduct of the public officials here is found to be particularly egregious, an award of aggravated or punitive damages may also be made” The bottom line is, we still don’t know what the total cost to the township will be. I ask you, is that the kind of leadership you want? Is that the kind of council you want representing our township?
I have shared my priorities:
· Creative Housing Solutions
· Economic Development
· Support for Art and Recreation
· Smarter Budgets
· Protecting our Natural Spaces
I have fresh ideas and a plan which includes input from experts and all of you in our community.
I am listening and what I am hearing at the door is appalling.
· A family living on a 100-year-old farm being told “You have too many buildings on this property, I want you to remove that one, and by the way, if you don’t comply by such and such a date you will be subject to a $10,000 a day fine
· A single mother received an $800 Invoice because her bag of garbage resting against a telephone pole fell over onto the sidewalk
· Another resident was called a “big mouth, let's see how good you are in court”
· Another couple tried for seven years to subdivide and develop their property into twelve lots finally giving up because of the ongoing and expensive changing demands of the township. This represents an increased tax burden to you and me with rising costs rather than expanding the tax base.
· Another resident, A commercial contractor, was told they need an engineering study (estimated cost $5,000) to change out his front door and window at his place of business.
· How about an 80-year-old man (a cancer patient) being grabbed by the throat and slammed against the wall and threatened by a current council member?
· How about hanging up on a resident taxpayer because “I don’t have time for this”.
My heart goes out to these and other members of our community who have been and continue to be the subject of abuse of power.
Are you aware that this council and administration are drafting new bylaws “to tighten things up even more”? In other councils, this would be discussed openly with input from the community.
The choice is clear, if you want more of the same, I am not your man. However, if you want a business and community leader with proven experience and fresh ideas, who will be open and transparent, listen to your concerns and act in a responsible way, with common sense, then I am your man.
I would ask you to really give some careful thought to the kind of representation you want on council. If you want more of the same vote the old guard back in. I am just like you, someone who wants the best for our community, and I'm fully prepared to roll up my sleeves to do my part. But I am just one person. A Mayor does not have a magic wand. I will have only one vote. I want to lead a team of like-minded council members to make this a better place to live, work, and play. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in “Politics Done Differently” On Oct 24th, vote for a better future, vote for me, Roger Prince for Mayor.
Thank you.
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