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4 - THE PORT PERRY STAR, Tuesday, November 13, 2001 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Mayor Doug Moffatt re Today marks the one-year anniversary of the 2000 municipal election and to honour that milestone, The Star compiled a list of | questions for Scugog Mayor Doug Moffatt. By Chris Hall Port Perry Star No. 1: One year has passed since the last municipal election. Please refresh our memories and recall your thoughts and feelings on the election, from your campaign through to election night when you were overwhelmingly selected by Scugog voters to lead the township. DM: It was a strange campaign. No one else was in the race until the last week (when former Mayor Howard Hall announced his intentions). There was really a flurry of hostile stuff (from Mr. Hall) announced in the press. It wasn't a fun campaign, but we took it as seriously as one should take an election cam- paign. We worked until the last hour'and the results were overwhelmingly in our favour at the end. The numbers (of those voting) were up as a result of mail-in vot- ing and my numbers went up while my opponent's went down, even lower from the (1997) election. (Mayor Moffatt made his intentions clear when he filed in January 2000 for the November election. He began work right away on ensuring he was elected for a second term as mayor). My campaign committee really began working around the end of August and the beginning of September We planned our strategy pretty well, and all that knocking on doors, brochures, ads and statements paid off for us in the end. No. 2: This is your third term on Scugog Council, as you have served one term as Ward | Councillor and the prior term as mayor. Please tell us why you ran for the mayor's seat a second time. DM: We made some progress in the first term; some important things are underway right now and | feel like we're sort of at the midway point with them. One of the good jobs we've done is working on negotiating with the province and (Mississaugas of Scugog Island) First Nations with regards to the Great Blue Heron. If we weren't proactive, we wouldn't have gotten that particular amount of support and we owe that to (Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs) Chris Hodgson. We told him of some of the problems with the municipality... and how we could get no one to pay attention to our needs. He told us there was no way he could get us transition funding (for roads and other infrastruc- ture needs) but to his credit he made (revenue sharing with the township from the casino) a condition. He made changes in our instance and said to the First Nation that they wouldn't get all the profits and that they had to pay some to their neighbours because we're provid- ing the services. All that stuff we're able to have and do now is because of him. Thanks to his help, we've been able to work on a good number of projects, and some of these are only half-way done. I'd like to see them through to the finish. No. 3: During the 2000 cam- paign, municipal restructuring was a key concern for candidates. Since then, the province has backed away from its stance on amalgamation. What are your thoughts on this? DM: | don't think it is gone. We're liable to see it emerge again, but not in this (provincial) term. There's no plaiis right now for it, but remember these are the same guys that brought forward the (Greater Toronto Services Board). The idea that amalgamation is the solution for all problems for all municipalities is firmly held by some senior civil servants, and is not necessarily entirely the gov- ernment's idea. Maybe, over time, we'll see more co-operation between the municipalities and Durham Region. Some sharing with an eye towards effi- ciencies is a good thing, but not if you make someone suffer at the expense of another. No. 4: Over the past year much debate has been held over such recre- ational services as a new public pool, a skateboard park and a second ice pad. Unity Place skateboard park is now in place, the new pool is almost complete and plans are underway for a new sheet of ice. How important are recreational services to the township in your mind? DM: I think we're in good shape right now; in a couple of years you can put a check mark beside all of our projects to this date and we can start talks on the next round of projects... an indoor pool and rec complex should be next, and | think we need to get a handle on them next. But, all these facilities focus on active recreation; what kind of activities do we have for passive recreation enthu- siasts... for our aging population? That population needs to be looked after Recreation is also a quality of life issue If we're going to keep the people living here now happy, or even attract new res- idents to the area, we have to have these things available. It's also a financial issue; if people don't stay active then chances are they won't stay healthy and that could put a strain on our health care system. Recreational activities are a real- ly good economic lever. No. 5: The township is continu- ing to battle with financial restrictions. The 2001 budget process was a long and difficult one, and in the end the town- ship was forced to raise taxes. What is your take on Scugog's current financial situation and what might township resi- dents look for in the future? DM: | hope we're not looking at tax increases in the future. As the economy changes, our costs change. When the cost of living goes up 2 or 3 per cent, then our costs go up as well. We've dealt with the casino money in a responsible way and over the next five, six or 10 years you will be able to see the progress we're making on rebuilding and fixing our roads. We have to go around and pave some of our roads and get out of the gravel road business because that's what's costing us money. | think we're in the best shape we've been in over the last 10 or 15 years and we're improving all the time: We've built a new fire hall for Port Perry, got a new pool and skate- board park and are working on Cartwright Fields and a second ice pad... I think we've got a better financial plan than we've had before and staff that understands that plan. We've turned the corner and are on the road to some real successes. No. 6: With that said, please give us your thoughts on council's recent endorsement of a pay hike for them- selves. (Councillors okayed a 3 per cent raise for themselves beginning in 2002, based on a recent settlement with the union that represents township employ- ees.) DM: We put in a place a policy that takes the decision of how much we pay councillors out of our own hands and ties it into how staff are paid. We've made it similar to the ways pay is decided to other levels of government. | don't do this job for the money, but the way things are now it limits those who can run for public office; it is really only open to those who run their own business or are retired who don't really need the money. It's not a good mirror of society. No. 7: No one applauded the demise of the Greater Toronto Services Board (GTSB) more than you. You made no secret of your opposition to the GTSB since its inception; please describe your flects on 2000-2001 feelings about the services board and give us your thoughts on its disbanding. DM: It was doomed to failure because of its structure and it proved that last week. It's finished. Having it based sole- ly on population was wrong, we can't do things like that. There has to be a some- what fair method to prevent steamroller- ing by one large area. It was trying to become one big government. it was a step away from a GTA police force and welfare office. We would have ended up paying millions of dollars from Scugog Township to be part of it and it would have been unfair for us because we wouldn't have gotten what we needed from it. I'd like to restart the GTA mayors and chairs meetings again; those were helpful meetings that brought together many issues and solutions. No. 8: When the 2000 municipal election came to a close, Scugog voters welcomed two new faces to the table and chose to return an old friend to the fold, as well as chose to re-elect yourself and three others. Please give us your thoughts on this council. DM: (Ward 2 Councillor) Marilyn Pearce has a style that is upfront; you can't fault her work ethic and knowledge of the township and I think she is learn- ing to be more tolerant of those not quick off the mark. (Ward 1 Councillor) Larry Corrigan has put some good effort into the Economic Development Committee and (Ward 5 Councillor) Paul Michel doesn't speak too often, but turn to Page 17