1. General government consists of Council, administration, and Ontario Property Assessment.
I have 15 years of senior administrative experience having been the administrator of two public hospitals and the financial director of a third. I have served on very many boards and committees. It is important to develop respectful working relationships. At times, however, one must be frank and forthright where traditional diplomatic methods have failed.
I have also taken the municipal administration courses required of all city clerks/ administrators.
Please note that I also sat on school board for three years, the Kenora Committee of adjustment and the North Bay Hospital Community Advisory Board.
When people tell me their taxes are too high I asked them which services they would cut. When they tell me that their services are not commensurate with the taxes they pay I ask them what improvements they want. When people suggest that they are dissatisfied with council I ask them who they believe will best represent them at the table.
As you can see, I have a contribution to make, ideas, passion and I am committed to do the right thing no matter what.
I have a thick skin and I know that at some point my popularity will wane. I am lucky to have a stable family.
I am ready to make decisions that benefit the community as a whole.
2. Protection consists of police, fire, and other protective services. These groups maintain the safety and security of all citizens by reducing or eliminating loss of life and property, by maintaining law enforcement, and preserving peace and good order.
I have no particular experience with law enforcement but I did make a submission to the Tippen inquiry and I did attend the meeting at the Wabano centre on the subject of race relations and police violence.
3. Roads, traffic and parking include:
- parking,
- signs and signals,
- streetlights and the
- maintenance of roads and parks of the City.
I was successful in negotiating a common access road in Kenora. I am of the mind that our pubic works need to move away from the cookie cutter approach. We need to use analytics to help reduce costs and improve services. In this area my experience in business intelligence should be a great advantage.
I fully support the development and expansion of cycling infrastructure and maintenance programs for the benefit of all.
4. Transit services provide local public transportation for citizens. They also include other transportation services such as planning and development.
This is another area where my background in analytics and business intelligence should help in developing optimal services.
5. Environmental services include:
- water supply and distribution,
- wastewater treatment, and
- waste and recycling services.
These services provide:
- clean drinking water to residents,
- collect and treat wastewater, and
- collect and properly process waste and recycling items.
I have no particular experience with environmental services but I did organize a new recycling program at Claremont manor in Manor Park. Further I have been very active in the past with river preservation, giving lectures, writing papers, and I was responsible for the launch of a judicial review that helped lead to the preservation of the Kipawa River.
6. Health services include paramedic and health services. Mandated health services promote and maintain health programs that optimize the health of residents. Paramedic services deliver timely and effective care for pre-hospital emergency care, along with medically required inter-hospital transportation.
I am skilled in this area having overseen the budgets of ambulance services and capital projects in the past.
7. Social and family services include:
- social assistance,
- long-term care, and
- childcare services.
Social assistance services determine, issue, and monitor clients’ eligibility for financial, social, and employment assistance.
Long-term care services provide secure and supervised health services for seniors who can no longer live at home.
The hospital services I oversaw also included chronic care and long term services. I have been involved in extended care programs in the past.
Childcare services provide:
- subsidized childcare spaces and
- provide funding for wage subsidy,
- pay equity, and
- special needs.
8. Social housing, with the partnership of 120 community-based agencies, provides a range of services, including:
- housing,
- emergency shelters,
- outreach,
- search, and
- stabilization to people in the community.
I have used community housing services in the past as a market based payer. I love the built in community aspect of these services but I am also aware of the need for leadership and a sense of ownership which is important to the tenants which must be cultivated and encouraged.
9. Recreation and cultural services include parks and recreation, culture, and libraries.
Parks and recreation services develop and deliver high-quality recreational programs, and develop and maintain recreation facilities, parks and sports-fields to ensure all residents have the opportunity to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
My role has primarily been as a volunteer in picking up trash and involvement in city wide cleanup days. In general I believe that the health of sport, recreation and arts within a community is a strong indicator of the health of the community itself. From a practical stand point, citizens may not become involved in these self actualizing pursuits if they are having trouble making ends meet.
Culture services invest in local non-profit organizations that deliver services on behalf of the City.
Library services provide public library services to the citizens through:
- physical facilities,
- bookmobile,
- virtual, and telephone services.
I am a regular and enthusiastic user of library services.
10. Planning and development services manage urban development for residential and business interests, as well as infrastructure and parks.
• Non departmental includes equity in earnings of government business enterprise, investment income, shared lottery earnings, and miscellaneous sundry revenue
The city is the sole shareholder of :
- Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. [“Hydro Ottawa”], and the
- Ottawa Community Housing Corporation [“OCHC”],
The City also provides hydro and housing services to the residents of Ottawa.
Ottawa Community Lands Development and the Manotick Mill Quarter Community Development were created for the purpose of promoting and undertaking community improvements in the City by managing real property.
Corporations were created for the purpose of promoting and undertaking community improvements in the City by managing real property.
Employee benefits liabilities, property tax assessment appeals, legal claims provisions, landfill closure and post-closure liabilities and liabilities for contaminated sites are part of the cost of running the city of Ottawa. Costs to settle legal claims are based on available information if likely and reasonably determinable, are reported as an expense
Ottawa is required to provide for closure and post-closure care of solid waste landfill sites.
Ottawa Art Gallery works of art are not recorded in the City’s consolidated financial statements.
Fees and user charges relate to transit fares; utility charges; water, wastewater, and solid waste; licensing fees; fees for use of various programming; and fees imposed based on specific activities. Revenue is recognized when the activity is performed or when the services are rendered.
The “city” activities of all committees of Council and the following boards, Business Improvement Areas [“BIAs”] and entities:
- The Police Services Board
- The Ottawa Public Library Board
- The Ottawa Board of Health
- The Ottawa Community Housing Corporation
- Manotick Mill Quarter Community Development Corporation
- Ottawa Community Lands Developmen Corporation
- The Bank Street BIA
- The Westboro Village BIA
- The Sparks Street BIA
- The Somerset Street Chinatown BIA The Glebe BIA
- The Heart of Orleans BIA
- The Carp Road Corridor BIA The Carp Village BIA
- The Vanier BIA
- The Manotick BIA
- The Sparks Street Mall Authority The Somerset Village BIA
- The Preston Street BIA
- The Byward Market BIA
- The Downtown Rideau BIA
- The Barrhaven BIA
- The Wellington West BIA
- The Kanata North BIA
- The Bells Corners BIA
- The Kanata Central BIA
