Jeff Heuchert
Staff Reporter
The list of candidates for city council continues to grow – up to 13 as of Tuesday – with four more non-incumbents entering their name into the race.
When Allan Tucker and his wife Donna moved to Stratford, he says he had a desire to participate in two things: local life and politics. And after four years volunteering with the likes of the Stratford Symphony Orchestra, Stratford Summer Music and PAL Stratford, Tucker is now ready to see the second part of his plan through.
“I’ve never ran for a council, but there’s never a bad time to try to exercise your rights,” says Tucker, 67, a transportation industry consultant with LC Enterprises, the company he started in 1985.
It was through his work and travels that Tucker took a liking to the Festival City. He and his wife spent as much time in Stratford as they could over the years, frequenting B&Bs and even renting an apartment for their longer visits, until they made the permanent move from St. Thomas.
“There’s more life here than anywhere else we know,” he says.
By working from home, Tucker says he has the time to commit to the job. He’s a collaborator and outgoing, and is ready to help guide the city through a period where it must show fiscal restraint, he adds.
Tucker says councillors need to remember who it is they represent.
“You can have your own ideas about things, but the most important part of your job is to listen to the people,” he adds.
If elected, Tucker says he would like to hear from constituents how they feel about particular issues, such as whether enough is being done to protect the city’s water resources and to preserve the downtown core.
“I’ve traveled all over the Canada, but Stratford has it all,” he says, of its downtown.
Tucker would also like to see the city invest in solar power – something he says would be an “obvious winner” for Stratford.
“Anything the city can get involved with that involves an investment that has a positive revenue stream coming down the line, we can’t ignore those anymore.”
He would also like to see the city do away with its parking meters and install a pay-and-display ticket system like those used in larger cities. It would improve the streetscape and allow for easier cleanup of the sidewalks, he says.
For Shane Harrison, his decision to run for council is the next step in a commitment to continued education.
“I’m always striving to learn new things, pick up new skills and continuously evolve as a person,” says the 29-year-old electrician by trade, who three years ago started his own home inspection company, Premier Property Consultants.
“I really enjoy helping people and educating them so they make an informed decision,” says Harrison, who recently added to his resume yet again, becoming a licenced life insurance representative.
“It gives me a lot of insight into finances and proper money management,” he says of his new endeavour.
Around the city, Harrison also served on the Energy Environment Committee and regularly volunteers with CARE Stratford.
“I really enjoy being involved in the community and helping make decisions for the city,” he says.
Now, Harrison is hoping to put all that experience to use to help better the community he’s called home for most of his life.
“I’ve proven that I can go on and accomplish things myself, but I like the team atmosphere,” he notes. “I think I can be a definite asset to the team of councillors in terms of making informed and educated decisions to benefit the citizens of Stratford.”
Having spent last summer working in Mexico, Harrison says he experienced a real sense of community there, of people coming together for a greater good. He hopes to see the same approach here.
He says the forthcoming university campus will “change the face of Stratford, and it’s something I’d like to be a part of.” The city must push forward with its development of the Cooper Site, he adds.
He’d also like to see something done about the abandoned service station lots throughout the city, whether that’s finding a company to put a new station in the west end or an entirely different business to build on the land.
“Anything is more attractive than a fenced-in yard full of gravel.”
Harrison, a long-time player and supporter of the Stratford Black Swans rugby team, would also like to see the city support a wider range of athletics, such as lacrosse, to encourage participation of more youth.
“It would be nice to be able to offer a little more variety,” he says.
Larry Baswick is preparing for his second municipal campaign, having run unsuccessfully in 2007.
Then he was fairly new to the city, having lived here with his wife Pat Burnell for just under two years.
“I’ve got a little bit more experience under my belt this time around,” says the retired school principal.
He’s had a chance to get involved with the community, volunteering with the Perth District Health Unit to mentor boys in Grades 7 and 8. An animal lover at heart, he works closely with the Feline Friends Network and the Perth County branch of the OSPCA.
So it’s no surprise that one of his priorities is seeing improved animal care in the community, through construction of a new shelter and spay-neuter clinic.
“The shelter we have right now is really intolerable and the animals live in very difficult spaces,” he says. “The people who work there, both the staff and volunteers, are heroes in my mind …”
At the same time, Baswick says council needs to be prudent with its spending and would like to see the city’s $90 million debt reduced. He has some fresh ideas, including assigning each councillor their own fundraising portfolio. A surtax is another option, he says.
“If we reduce the debt by half we would be saving an upwards of $2 million a year,” Baswick says. “I think we need to have a concerted effort in the community in paying that down.”
He will push to create a pedestrian space in Market Square and has a vision that includes the city buses. He would also like to see stricter bylaw enforcement, especially when it comes to noise pollution and idling.
Randy Petrie, who also filed his papers as a candidate for council last week, could not be reached for comment as of press time.
