Jeff Heuchert
Staff Reporter

Three more individuals, including the reeve of a neighbouring municipality, have entered the race for Stratford city council.

Perth South Reeve Ron McKay, who moved to Stratford from his farm just outside the city last year, has announced his intention to run in October’s municipal election.  

“I’ve always enjoyed Stratford, and I’d like to give back here a little bit, too” says McKay, who this fall will finish his second term as reeve of Perth South.

With a career in municipal politics that spans 19 years, beginning with a spot on what was at the time Downie Township council and then Perth South after amalgamation, McKay says his experience would be an asset to the city.

“I like the job, I like the challenge and I like problem solving,” he adds.  “And I like working with people who are dedicated to what they’re doing.”

This fall’s election will mark the first time Chuck Chessell has run for public office. Born and raised in Stratford, Chessell, who works at Player Carpentry and Masonry, believes he can bring that “every-man” approach to municipal politics. “It’s a bit of a change for someone like myself to run,” suggests Chessell. “I’m blue-collar instead of white-collar.”

It’s through his job, he says, he often gets talking with customers about what’s going on around the city. He says he’s heard some of the same concerns, and he’d like to help address those he thinks are most important for the city’s continued growth and the well-being of its residents.  

Chessell says people should be excited about the arrival of the University of Waterloo Stratford Institute, but that the city needs to make sure it its ready to accommodate the influx in students, starting with moving the bus depot to the campus site from behind City Hall.

“It’s crazy to not have buses in a location like that,” he says, adding he’s always advocated for greater pedestrian use of  Market Square.

A new public library and railway crossing in the west end of the city also need to be looked at, Chessell says.  

The city has got the ball rolling on many of these projects, he notes, but  he would like to see council speed up the process.

Brad Beatty will be a familiar face to many in Stratford, having run unsuccessfully in the last municipal election in 2006.

Disappointed, but not deterred, Beatty says he always knew he would run again for a spot on city council at the first opportunity.

He notes he wanted to keep active in the community as much as possible over the last four years including, among others, sitting on the city’s park’s board, co-chairing the local Communities in Bloom committee and soon chairing of the Civic Beautification and Environmental Awareness Committee.

“I’ve always had a sense of community and I take great pride living in Stratford,” Beatty adds.

“(City council would) just be one more way of serving your community.”

He says for council to be successful, it need to represent the whole community, and that he would bring a “family perspective” to the table.

Having worked at Partners in Employment for 11 years, Beatty says he’s seen first-hand how the economy in Stratford has changed  over the last few years. But he believes the city is putting itself in a great position with the university campus.

“This could really be a positive, in many regards, so I just want to make sure we do this right, because we only have one shot at it.”

Beatty says he is a little concerned about the debt the city has incurred over the last few years, but he understands why it’s happened. Moving forward, he adds, the city must make decisions that won’t have an ongoing impact on its  debt.