October 10th meeting - residents are engaged in this election!

(L-R) Candidates for mayor Lorraine McQueen and Rob Zwicker with School Board candidate Paul Lunn. 

There are two stories from the public meeting last night at the fire hall.

First:  the huge attendance and interest in the meeting.

Second:  the candidates. After the candidates for mayor fielded questions from moderator Brian Bishop and the public, the determining question was: How much time can you devote to being mayor? Lorraine answered that she is retired and expects being mayor will be her major project.
Rob answered that he works full time at Canadian Keyes Fibres, one of the town's large industries. Sursprise #1. Although it was not public knowledge, Rob announced that Rob Frost is the town's new CAO.

If you missed last night's meeting, you missed an historic event in town. A public meeting with between 60 and 80 people. I lost count after 50. Moderator Brian Bishop estimated that 80 people attended.
   Even town office staff had no idea how important the meeting was to the residents. Although they knew well in advance about the meeting, they did not put it on the tennis court sign.
  Brian, an anonymous resident, and I were flabbergasted at this gaffe. Undaunted, we plastered the town with posters and moved a notice on a sandwich board from highly visible spot to highly visible spot.
   And the people came in droves!
   The two candidates for mayor and one of the candidates for School Board (see above) were present along with acclaimed councillors Rob Frederick, Shannon Cunningham, Faye Hill, and Harold Bulger.
  Councillors Paul Morton and Margot Bureaux and School Board candidate Phil VanZoost were unable to attend due to prior commitments.
   What a pity for the councillors! They will never experience the sense of commitment we all felt between the candidates and the public. Are Hantsportonians apathetic? Not any more! You had to see it to believe it.
   Brian said it was to be an evening for everyone to engage in conversation. It was more than that. It was an exciting two hours of give-and-take as the candidates and the residents wrestled with the issues which the council will face during the next four years.
  One result of the meeting is that both candidates for mayor pledged to introduce this type of public meeting into the schedule of the town. Harold Bulger has been vindicated. He is the one councillor who has steadfastly maintained that public meetings are a priority. Now council knows the ingredients: publicity, councillors seated at a table facing the residents, 2 hours allotment, and no town staff.

All four acclaimed candidates spoke briefly and were available for questions.

  Paula Lunn as been on the School Board since 1988 when the board hired teachers and she signed 200 cheques each week. Suprise #2: renovations to the school will proceed but there will be no changes to the gym. Paula said the board is looking at the whole picture in the planning process and will renovate the school with a focus on the educational programs.

  Rob spoke for several minutes to introduce himself. Lorraine did the same. Brian and residents then peppered the candidates with questions about unsightly premises, public use of the wharf, tourism, cost sharing services, village status, vision, the web page, the food bank, public work. etc. etc. etc.

We can expect a record turnout at the polls on Saturday, October 20.

Municipal politics is alive and well in Hantsport!

NEWS & VIEWS thanks those who participated in this historic meeting and those who made it possible.  

Tell us what you think about the meeting!