Former councillor seeking mayor's chair

It will be a two-man race for mayor after former local councillor Robert Heaton filed his candidacy for the job on Friday. Current mayor Rick Bonnette is also vying for the position. Heaton, 48, has nine years experience as a town councillor and last election ran unsuccessfully for the regional chair's position. "As an ex-councillor I am well aware of the past, and have kept a keen interest on the current and rising local issues and regional challenges that we as a community are faced with today,"

said Heaton in a media release. Heaton said in his release that he doesn't believe current Mayor Rick Bonnette "has done as good of a job as mayor as he thinks he has." "So rather than let the present mayor win by acclamation we'll let the voters decide if they are happy with the present course the Halton Region only focused mayor (has) paved for the community of the Town of Halton Hills." He said Halton Hills residents have seen compounded tax increases, questionable land deals and campaign promises that were never kept, "The citizens of Halton Hills deserve better and will now have an alternative choice when they go to the polls this November." "As the alternative candidate with no developers' ties, I pledge to bring to the mayor's seat greater transparency, true community representation and more accountability to the voters of Halton Hills." On Monday Heaton declined the opportunity to provide any further comments beyond those in the release. Heaton is a Stewarttown resident and during the last municipal election campaign said he worked as a computer consultant.