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Editor's note: In this series, we ask local municipal politicians to address a number of questions pertaining to their role representing the community.
Today, we hear from Midland Mayor Bill Gordon.
What do you think has been council's most important accomplishment this past year? Why?
Our biggest accomplishment of 2023 was the pause and reset of the former Midland Bay Landing development.
That election promise was promptly delivered within 60 days of being sworn in. This was “the” wedge issue in the last election, and I am proud to say that Midland elected a council that listens and delivers on their promises.
A new process will begin early in 2024 that will see extensive public engagement through every step of the way, right down to the review and selection of the winning plan, that will see the east side preserved and enhanced as parkland, and all 1100 metres of the shoreline with deeded public access.
What has been the biggest challenge for you in your first year in office?
Surprisingly, the many large issues our new Council has dealt with over the past year, pale by comparison to the sudden loss of deputy mayor Jack Contin. Jack and I were perfectly aligned with what we hoped to accomplish this term, and the strategies to achieve those goals.
Losing my 'wingman' so early in this 'mission' was a blow and I need to hope that our new Deputy Mayor will share that vision for our community and be as committed to working collaboratively on the upcoming major decisions as Jack was.
Are you satisfied with work on the 2024 budget? Why or why not?
Our finance team has been restructuring over the past year and are working towards a goal of finalizing our budget by the end of December, but in the meantime, we get a draft budget mid-December and have a few weeks to review it before the budget meetings late January.
The draft increase is far higher than I’d like to see, even with the financial pressures of inflation and debt financing costs. We’ve hosted our yearly public survey and will be hosting a public input meeting on January 17th before Council spends three full days reviewing the budget with each department, agency and board, looking for opportunities to save money and balance that need against the service delivery expectation of our residents.
Non-resident fees will be front and centre this year to address the losses we’ve been incurring while extending tax-supported services to our neighbours and guests.
What has been the most surprising aspect of your term on council so far? What have you learned?
I’m surprised at how many great ideas originate from within our community. The sheer volume of public input we receive about matters that come before Council, proves that we have passionate, intelligent, and engaged residents who really feel “heard” by this Council. Of course, not everyone will be pleased with every outcome, but the fact that we have a Council that is so open and responsive to public input, is very rewarding to me as a leader.
Can you speak to being a politician in today's climate? Does social media pose unique issues in your work? If so, how do you manage these issues?
I choose to have a very active social media presence, as well as hosting a website and mailing list to keep residents up-to-date and garner public input about issues and ideas I have for the community.
I routinely engage with people online through social media channels, as well as taking phone calls, emails and in-person. I pride myself on being very approachable and responsive and have not found enough negativity online to justify changing that position.
I signed up to be a public figure and accept that this is a 24/7 job and am pleased to report that most people are respectful and courteous while sharing their critique, concerns and comments about issues. I believe that committing to community engagement requires a social media presence as we need to meet people where they are, and for many, the online community is where they get their news, form their opinions about local matters and express themselves.
Social media can be an unpleasant experience for those who either cannot take criticism and don’t like to have their way of thinking challenged or who are not prepared to debate matters of fact. It would be far simpler to stay offline, but I find the rewards to be greater than the risks.
