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4- The Oakville Beaver, Friday October 6, 2006 www.oakvillebeaver.com Ward 1 candidates talk about their ward's issues aren't willing to do something about an issue, you can't It's said that nature (not to mention politics) complain. With his abhors a vacuum so it's no surprise that three can- three children didates are vying for the Ward 1 Town/Regional either married or in seat being vacated by Mike Lansdown. university, Johnston They include Michael Glynne, Alan Johnston has the time to scale back his transportation busiand Margaret Mercer ­ individuals with ness and devote his energy and distinctly different backgrounds, but shardrive to the job of councillor. ing a professed desire to work towards No stranger to council meetwhat's best for their ward and their town. ings on a variety of issues, Mercer said she decided to run after Johnston says he knows the many people from the private boards on commitment necessary to be which she serves said her skill-set and effective. He maintains Oakville leadership abilities could be applied to has been good to his family and Oakville's benefit if she sat on council. wants it to remain so for others. Still somewhat reluctant, Mercer said she "This is an important time in took Lansdown's announced departure as Margaret Mercer the town's history and we have to a sign and filed to run. get it right this time," he said. "I'm a doer by nature, an action person who For Mercer, a large part of her vision for Ward 1 gets things done," said Mercer, who runs her own can be boiled down to one thing: quality of life. There consulting/marketing firm. "I have the proven have been many changes in the Bronte area, but experience to make tough decisions and to com- unfortunately not all of them have been good ­ municate. This is a chance to make a difference." development that almost no residents wanted Glynne ­ who has remained around the among the highest profile. periphery of local politics since his time as Chair Mercer said the Town ­ and its ward councilof the Oakville Taxpayers Coalition ­ explained lors - should better articulate their vision for the with a full-time job he could not devote the time area to invite the "right type" of development. and energy necessary to be an effective councillor. "We have to communicate and reach out," she Now retired, he can. said. "I'm not happy with what is happening and has As an engineer in the manufacturing sector, happened to Bronte. I feel compelled to get involved Glynne maintains he is used to devising plans, and put forward a vision for this community." working them out then following through in a Glynne says he sees issues as all part of the cost-effective and timely manner. big picture, be they local, town, regional and For Johnston, running for office is a logical beyond. Provincial Places to Grow legislation extension of his extensive community involve- directly affects Ward 1 by forcing on its residents ment and partially based on the axiom that if you decisions by the Ontario Municipal Board OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF By Howard Mozel (OMB) ­ a body that he feels should no longer be tinkered with but abandoned. "We need to become masters of our own destiny," he said. Johnston said the town has to "get its planning act together," especially to protect existing neighbourhoods from infill housing. To ensure development is done responsibly, the Town needs to protect its vision with a "water-tight" Official Plan at the OMB. Mercer says the main issues of the campaign include Ward 1's obvious lack of recreation facilities: no rink, no rec centre, no museum, no library. This glaring omission ties into youth issues, she Alan Johnston said, not the least of which are crime and vandalism. Mercer also hopes to help address waste management and traffic congestion. The clear-cutting of trees goes far beyond mere aesthetics, she continued, since improving air quality is a public health matter. Glynne's big picture is divided into ­ and linked by ­ several layers of issues. In Ward 1 they include the lack of recreation facilities, Bronte Quadrangle and Palm Place. Town-wide issues range from taxes, GTA pooling and the "unfair" Development Charges Act 1997 to planning, a lack of commercial/industrial growth and the control of clear-cutting trees. Regionally, Glynne is focused on energy from waste (he supports Halton Region's current plan), judicious implementation of high density housing and amalgamation of transit services in Halton. Johnston says major issues include fixing the shortfall in recreation facilities, maintaining a vibrant downtown Bronte, infrastructure renewal and traffic. An Oakville resident for 24 years, 14 in Bronte, Glynne has been Commodore of Bronte Harbour Yacht Club, member of Oakville Harbours Advisory Committee and founder of Glen Abbey Toastmasters Club. He has also served on the Oakville Harbours Advisory Committee. he's a member of the Bronte Village Residents Association and director of Canadian Club of Halton/ Peel. Visit www.michaelglynne.com. Married with three children, Johnston has been an Oakville resident for more than 30 years, 18 of them in Bronte. His community involvement Michael Glynne includes being a coach/manager with Oakville Minor Soccer; Brookdale School Council Chair; T.A. Blakelock School Council Chair; Eastview School Council; Bronte District Advisory Committee Chair; Bronte Community Consultation Committee and the BBQ 4 Bricks initiative. Visit www.alanjohnston.ca. An Oakville resident for 15 years, Mercer has served on the board of the Oakville Senior Citizen's Residence located in Bronte for the past five years and as its Board Chair for the past four. She also sits on the board of the Canadian Mental Health Association - Halton Chapter and other private sector boards. Her regional involvement includes serving on the Halton Housing Advisory Committee since 2003 and the Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition Steering Committee since 2004. Visit www.margaretmercer.ca. 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