Municipal elections loom ahead for October, and the question of running again was posed to Tay Township Mayor Ted Walker.
“I have not decided on whether I will run or not in 2022,” Walker responded to MidlandToday. “I will discuss this with my family and my JAR committee before making a decision.”
The JAR committee being referenced is not a Tay committee, and yet it could be his most important commitment as the acronym stands for the first initials of his grandchildren: Jack, Ayla and Rebecca.
Walker’s plans for Tay looked to focus on support for development, community recreation, and improvements to service delivery in the next year.
Amendments to the township’s Official Plan and zoning bylaw to permit accessory dwelling units are aimed to quicken approvals and lighten application costs for residents. Over $1 million allocated from the 2022 Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund will be going to the Victoria Harbour wastewater treatment plant upgrades project, ultimately helping to reduce future wastewater rate charges.
More than $300,000 from the Ontario Trillium Foundations community building fund will be put to building additional inclusive change rooms at the Tay Community rink. Provincial grant funds will streamline municipal services, according to Walker.
Regarding challenges faced in the pandemic, Walker wrote, “I’m pleased to report that Tay Township has not only persevered, but grown stronger in the process thanks to staff foresight and initiatives.”
Walker noted that online access allowed residents to reach the municipality for delivery of critical services.
“While we hope that the pandemic is nearing a conclusion, the Township will continue to evolve its policies and adapt to changes as they come, and as it has done so successfully throughout the pandemic,” wrote Walker.
Looking ahead to the remainder of the 2022 term for this council, Walker mentioned the transition into a post-pandemic future was on his mind.
“Implementation of our aggressive capital works program will be carried out and we will see the ground breaking for many exciting developments, one of which will provide full time employment to over 100 people.
“The challenges faced by the next Council will be to carry on the policies and initiatives present Council has established. Seeing the Victoria Harbour Waste Water Plant expansion through to completion as quickly as practical will be a high priority,” he reiterated.
Election day in Tay Township is set for October 24, 2022. Further information can be found on the election page of the Tay Township website.
