Municipal elections are October 26 in Ontario. To help voters make an informed decision here in Cornwall, the editorial board of The Seeker has put together 10 questions for candidates seeking a seat at the municipal council table, whether as Councillor or as Mayor. To ensure fairness, the same questions were sent to every candidate. We sent a total of 10 and they had the option to answer all of them, or pick a minimum of 5. Their answers will be published in their entirety, in the order they are received. We will not edit, correct or modify any responses.
These are Dean Hollingsworth’s Answers. He is running for Councillor.
Who are you? Where are you from? What education do you have? What relevant experience do you have? (1 brief paragraph)
My name is Dean Hollingsworth. I am a lifelong resident of Cornwall. I have a university degree in History from Carleton University and English degree from Ottawa University. I have also obtained a Masters in the Science of Education from Medaille College. I worked at Domtar Fine Papers for approximately 17 years, and I have been a teacher with UCDSB for 20 years. I was first elected to Cornwall City Council at the age of 26 in 1991 and I have served as a City Councillor for 20 years spanning from 1991 to the current term.
In The Seeker’s poll asking constituents about the most important issue facing them, a large majority of respondents answered “taxes/affordability”. What would you do as a Councillor/Mayor to make Cornwall more affordable, and what city services or spending, if any, would you be willing to reduce, change or eliminate to keep tax increases under control?
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Over the past few years, many constituents have expressed concern that the city’s homelessness situation has significantly worsened. What would you do as a Councillor/Mayor to address this issue?
The solution to the homeless problem is complex as the reasons for homelessness are as varied as the people who are homeless. I think the most logical starting point is to build more places for people to live. I have supported many initiatives to encourage more residential construction. I voted in favour of reducing development charges to make it easier for contractors to build by reducing start up fees. I have supported the Tax Deferral Grant to encourage construction projects throughout the city. Finally, the city has been upgrading our current inventory of affordable housing units throughout the city and in the counties. Homelessness demands a multifaceted approach, expanding residences within the city represents a good starting point.
Why are you running for Council? What is the most important
In the last 8 years I have witnessed some positive changes in the City of Cornwall- the announcement of Great Wolf Lodge locating in Cornwall, our recent success in doctor recruitment and the redevelopment of the Harbour Front. I believe we are on the edge of greatness as medium size city and I would like to be a part of our ascension to success.
Many constituents have expressed concerns about accountability and controversy surrounding Council. What could you do as a Councillor/Mayor to improve transparency and accountability?
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We constantly hear about the Art Centre and the water meters. Many residents have expressed the view that these were bad decisions on Council’s part. Both projects are being implemented, but they remain a sore spot for some voters. Would you consider revisiting or changing decisions made on those projects?
A) First, I would like to point out that I voted against the current version of the Arts Centre. The current location has several deficiencies such as parking, potential traffic flow issues and construction costs have escalated due to the physical limitations of the site. Furthermore, there are problems with the design of the interior of the building as it fails to address the needs of the greater Arts community. The lack of a dance studio, Visual Arts space, commercial kitchen for the culinary Arts, finally there isn’t a formal space designed for Artists whose is in focus is in music. The design of the current Arts Center is a missed opportunity for the Arts community as a whole. Despite the shortcomings previously identified it is not in the Cities best interest to change directions visa vie the current Arts Center. I believe the best course of action is to allow the Arts Center to operate according to plan and review the operation annually. I don’t believe we would be able to recoup our investment by selling it at this time.
B) With regards to water meters it should be noted that almost every municipality in Ontario uses a metering system. The flat rate fee system is inherently flawed for 2 reasons. By using a flat rate system, people who use water sparingly are subsidizing heavy water users and that is an unfair method of billing. For example: a senior who lives in a bungalow with 5 taps pays the same rate as a family of 5 people living in a bungalow with 5 taps. That is not a fair method of billing. Water meters rectify that inequity by ensuring people pay based on what they use. Secondly, we should strive to use our natural resources judiciously. Cornwall has one of the highest rates of water usage per capita in the province. The expectation with the installation of water meters is that when people see the real cost of their water usage, they will use less water. Managing our water resources carefully is beneficial for the environment. Thus, I believe we need to stay the course with regards to water meters.
What would you do to improve our relationship with Akwesasne? What does Truth and Reconciliation look like to you? Explain how Cornwall can take steps toward it.
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Cornwall’s municipal government relies on experienced and qualified staff to deliver services to residents. What would you do as a Councillor/Mayor to ensure the city can attract, retain and support the best possible people in senior positions?
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Healthcare is primarily a provincial responsibility, but access to healthcare is a major concern for Cornwall residents. What can the City of Cornwall realistically do to help improve healthcare access, and would you make it a priority as a Councillor/Mayor?
I had the opportunity to sit on the Mayor’s Task Force on Medical recruitment and I supported all the recommendations in that report. I would like to take an opportunity to point out some key points. I believe the city should pursue the creation of a medical Hub. The vision would be examination rooms and office space for doctors as well as Nurse Practitioners. Family Doctors and Nurse Practitioners are bogged down by the daily demands of paperwork, IT issues, HR demands and property maintenance. A medical hub would remove the operational demand and consequently make Cornwall a preferred destination.
We need to act as a facilitator for a residency program in Cornwall. Doctors who do their residency in a community will often stay in that community. The city needs to act as a catalyst to bring all of the interest holders together such as new doctors, hospitals, senior doctors as well as educational institutions. The city can work with Interest holders to create incentives for senior doctors to participate in the resident program and or incentives for young doctors to come to Cornwall to participate in the resident program.
Many residents are concerned about crime, vandalism, drug use and a general decline in their sense of safety. What can the city realistically do to address these concerns, and where should municipal responsibility end and provincial or federal responsibility begin
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