In the weeks leading up to this year’s municipal election, Huntsville Doppler will be posting a commentary from each of the local candidates. The order of appearance is completely random. To read commentary from other candidates, click here.
Meet Bob Stone, candidate for Town and District councils
My wife Tracey and I moved to Huntsville in 1995 to raise our boys and start a business in this this amazing Town. We created, owned and operated Christmas Tyme on Main St. for twenty years. The boys are now off at university being fabulous, and having sold the store in 2016, I am now your full-time Councillor.
Being on Council has been an interesting ride so far and we have had our share of controversy; with our own hospital board, with art coming and going and with the sale of Town owned buildings, but upon reflection of it all I am proud of our work.
The stars are a little brighter with our Dark Sky By-Law,
The water is a little cleaner with the diligence of Planning Committee and the new Official Plan,
The potholes are fewer with our serious investment in roads,
And the future plans to reinvent Main St. and build new attainable housing will encourage visitors and help employment.
So why should you vote for me?
I’m a Full Time Councillor, I work hard and I speak up when needed. At the single opportunity to address the Healthcare Taskforce directly, I was the only Huntsville Councillor to stand and demand 2 full acute care hospitals. And when 90% of the people said they wanted Pipe Man relocated, I admitted we made a mistake and put a motion on the floor. I fought for the Dark Sky By-Law and for a Tourist Accommodation Tax that will take Huntsville to the next level of tourist destinations and relieve taxes for local property owners.
The hospital continues to be our single most important issue. We must remain engaged during Part 1B of the planning to ensure the details of the hospital redevelopment is everything we have been promised.
The natural beauty of this place we call home is fragile and needs our protection from over development, climate change and abusive property owners. The environment needs to be part of every discussion we have, and weighed in every decision we make.
I was taught to take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves. Well, times have changed, but the principal remains the same. My philosophy continues to be “question everything and don’t forget who’s money you are spending”.
As Chair of the Economic Development Committee we have investigated dozens of possibilities and interviewed over 60 businesses. The results of that information now needs to be used to grow our economy by helping existing business expand and attract the needed workforce.
When the District of Muskoka was formed in 1971, it was meant to be a unique model for northern communities. That experiment has ballooned into what we have today. It is too large, too expensive and too disconnected from the people it serves.
Municipal Government, in my opinion, fundamentally should be the voice of the people. It should be your friends, neighbours and local business owners who are making decisions on your behalf. Those people know your issues best, and are held to account for their actions by virtue of being part of the Town they serve. You see them every day at the grocery store or on the street and give them input on issues that matter to you.
So, the idea that the District of Muskoka should draw more and more decision making out of town, and those decisions being made by people from other towns worries me greatly.
My vision is to streamline services and reduce the public payroll by giving certain services back to the Towns and cutting the size of District Council.
Why do we need to ask permission to close our own Main St. for events? Why have 2 snowplows clearing the same area with one doing Town roads and another doing District roads? The responsibility for all Huntsville roads should revert back to the Town.
I believe that the Town should also decide how our Town grows by being it’s own Planning authority, instead of having our plans “rubber stamped” by District staff.
I also believe that 22 Councillors at the District table is unwieldy and ineffective and should be significantly reduced.
And Yes, I promise to vote for a smaller District Council, even if it costs me my seat, because it is the right thing to do.
My name is Bob Stone and I would be proud to continue to represent you.
Contact me at home: 705 789-1736 or email: [email protected]
Visit my website: votebobstone.ca
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I think that the planning in Huntsville is all about dollars and cents as opposed to common sense, what are your thoughts on this?
Hi June, sorry for not answering sooner, I was out knocking on doors. I also heard rumours that Giant Tiger was coming last year, but there has never been an application to the Planning Department from them. Perhaps just some wishful thinking.
Bob l talked to you once about bringing a Giant Tiger Store to our town, and there was even talk of it going in the west end. We need a store where everyone can afford to shop. What happened? Did they lose interest?
Hunting in and around Huntsville has been a tradition since long before we became a Town. I am not personally a hunter, but happily support legal hunting. As Chair of the Economic Development Committee I also recognize the benefits to our economy.
So what is your stand on hunting here in Muskoka? Utterson, and Huntsville area?