Alnwick-Haldimand Mayor Debate Plays to a Full House
By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
Though 100 chairs had been set out in Canon Nind Hall at St. George’s Anglican Church in Grafton Thursday night, the Alnwick-Haldimand mayoral candidates’ debate was a full house with even some standees.
Organized by the Alnwick-Haldimand Ratepayers Association, the event spotlighted candidates Sherry Gibson and Mike Ainsworth. Both have impressive resumes that include council terms – Ainsworth is an incumbent, and Gibson’s previous three terms included time as Deputy Reeve.
“As mayor, my approach will be straightforward – maintain, improve, strengthen,” stated Gibson, who has lived on the Gibson family farm for 37 years and has worked 35 years for Community Care Northumberland (currently as Director of Hospice Services at Ed’s House).
A 68-year township resident, Ainsworth reeled off a long list of volunteer service, from hockey and baseball coach to being one of the five residents chosen to start the township’s fire department.
“You don’t elect a mayor who has the answers, you elect one who asks the right questions,” he stated – “responsible growth, responsible spending, responsible leadership.”
Through questions pre-submitted by members of the community, submitted by those listening in on Zoom and posed in person by members of the audience, several issues seemed to resonate.
Both candidates expressed strong support for the Nauwautin Nature Sanctuary.
Ainsworth described the fight to have that support confirmed by council in terms of the $300,000 reserve for the preservation of this beloved natural preserve, though Gibson noted that this amount is probably not enough “to restore it to its former beautiful state.”
Both expressed concern for the state of the township’s aging infrastructure – such as the town hall, where the floor on the upper storey is no longer safe for council meetings.
Ainsworth decried how such assets have been “pieced together and pieced together for the last 25 years, and no one has really put the money into it to get it done.” Gibson agreed that budget time needs to be an occasion for close adherence to the township’s asset management plan.
The current council came in for criticism for dismissing its integrity commissioner, but Ainsworth said they had been unhappy with that person’s work so they had replaced him.
“It’s no different from having a contractor come to your house and he’s not doing a good job. You get rid of him and get somebody else,” he said.
The candidates had differing views of the role they would play as members of Northumberland County council – which, Ainsworth pointed out, gets 55% of the township’s tax dollars.
“I would love to have some of that stay here,” he said.
“If they are going to tie our hands, they better come up with the money to help us.”
As a county councillor, he said, “my first love is this township.”
Gibson pointed out that, when a mayor sits on county council, he or she is representing the county as a whole.
“While you go there with your heart in this township and your interest in this township, when you are at county council, it’s to ensure decisions are made for the services the county offers for the entire township – paramedics, the Golden Plough Lodge, public works, economic development, court services,” she said.
Calls for support for the agricultural community met with a positive response from both. Ainsworth pledged to meet regularly with the Northumberland Federation of Agriculture, and Gibson thought it would a good idea to reactivate the Agricultural Advisory Committee.
Support for the arena continues strong, and Ainsworth said this was a prime example of neglected and pieced-together infrastructure. It was already closed once, and only reopened thanks to generous donations from community members and Grafton Minor Hockey.
It is currently closed for a $2.3-million project that should keep it open another 25 years. Ainsworth said that $339,000 of that has been raised to date, and work is going on to find grants that should significantly reduce any debenture that is necessary. The result will be a new ice surface, insulation in the ceiling, lighting, boards and glass, all in time for another hockey season, starting in November.
As a hockey mom and hockey grandmother, Gibson supports having that facility for members of the community of all ages, and beyond.
“There’s a lack of ice time in Cobourg, so let’s bring them here and show off the great facility we have now,” she suggested.
Gibson recalled being on the council that was sitting when the province forced the merger of Alnwick and Haldimand townships, and one question revealed how residents of the former Alnwick Township feel they get short shrift. Gibson has noticed how the Alnwick Civic Centre, with its council chambers, gym, kitchen, meeting rooms and library, is looking run-down.
“There’s no reason why we can’t bring that back,” she said.
Ainsworth said they had hopes of locating a pharmacy in the old firehall, but the project didn’t work out.
One questioner fought back tears as she related the active body of volunteers that once ran a township community centre until council got rid of them all.
“This council didn’t get rid of the volunteers – it was the council before,” Ainsworth corrected her.
The move was made as a result of the township employees being unionized.
“There was a time when volunteers would run community centres – open, close, collect the money. That can’t happen any more,” he explained.
Ainsworth said they have begun negotiating with the workers to ascertain what roles volunteers can still play, but discussions and subsequent volunteer recruitment is a slow business.
The Alnwick-Haldimand Ratepayers Association plans two more pre-election events – one just for the three Deputy Mayor candidates Sept. 24 at the Alwnick Civic Centre, and one for the candidates for council and school board Oct. 3 at the Centreton Community Centre.
