Past Messages

Year Three: Grow the tax base instead of relying on the tax rate. Report progress to Residents

Year Two: Stop trying to solve every problem alone. Report progress to Residents.

Year One: Understand the real concerns and costs. Challenge spending and consider changes to approach. Establish priorities the Residents have asked for and Report progress publicly.

As Mayor, I will push for a public scorecards so residents can see whether we are accomplishing what we promised. Major projects should be followed from approval to completion. If a project goes over budget, residents should know why. If a partnership saves taxpayers money, report it. If a grant reduces the local cost of […]

Every dollar Pembroke secures from another level of government for a necessary project is a dollar local taxpayers do not have to carry alone. The City should become much more deliberate about grants. My approach will be: To maintain a prioritized list of grant-ready projects. That means having engineering, costing, business cases and partnership arrangements […]

Partnership is not a slogan. For a city Pembroke’s size, partnership is a powerful tools for controlling costs. We already share regional services and initiatives. The next step should be to systematically ask where cooperation can go further. My approach will be: Share where sharing makes sense.Partner where partnership saves money.Maintain local control where it […]

The objective: Increase the number and value of properties contributing to municipal revenues so the cost of running the City is shared across a stronger tax base. My approach will be: Putting greater emphasis on: vacant and underused properties; commercial and industrial development; redevelopment and affordable housing construction; faster and more predictable approvals; investment-ready municipal […]

Before asking taxpayers for more, City Hall will demonstrate that it has challenged its own costs first. My approach will be: Reviewing how services are delivered, contracts and purchasing, controlling unnecessary growth in operating costs and looking for efficiencies across departments. For major projects, residents deserve to know: What did we approve? What did it […]

Pembroke’s infrastructure challenge is one of the most important financial issues facing the next Council. What I will do Ensure a strong effective 10-year infrastructure and financial plan connecting Pembroke’s Asset Management Plan directly to annual budgets. Roads, water, sewer, buildings, vehicles and other assets will be prioritized according to: condition + risk + necessity […]

Make affordability the test for every City decision. Before adding programs, facilities, positions or major capital projects, Council should understand the full cost over the life of the decision. What I will do In the first year, review major operating costs, service levels, procurement, facilities, fleet, energy use and major contracts. The question will be: […]

Developing a Four-Year Plan for an Affordable, Stronger Pembroke that considers Safety a priority. Strong Leadership. Responsible Spending. Better Partnerships. Pembroke does not need a longer list of promises. It needs a clear plan for how we will make decisions. My commitment is simple:  Every major decision at City Hall should answer  3 questions: Is […]