{"id":56911,"date":"2018-10-19T07:39:43","date_gmt":"2018-10-19T11:39:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=56911"},"modified":"2018-10-19T07:39:43","modified_gmt":"2018-10-19T11:39:43","slug":"larry-horton-candidate-for-election-to-huntsville-council-in-the-stisted-stephenson-port-sydney-ward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/larry-horton-candidate-for-election-to-huntsville-council-in-the-stisted-stephenson-port-sydney-ward\/","title":{"rendered":"Larry Horton ~ candidate for election to Huntsville Council in the Stisted, Stephenson, Port Sydney ward"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In the weeks leading up to this year\u2019s 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<\/a><\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"Meet Larry Horton, a candidate for election to Huntsville Council in the Stisted, Stephenson, Port Sydney ward<\/strong><\/p>\n

First off, I would like to thank Doppler Online for this opportunity to communicate with the voters of Port Sydney, Stephenson and Stisted Wards. I encourage every registered voter to exercise their right to vote by October 22, either online or by phone.<\/p>\n

One question that I\u2019m always asked is \u201cWhy run for town council?\u201d<\/u><\/p>\n

Quite simply, I care deeply about our community and want to help drive positive change. Since moving here back in 1990, I have been a passionate volunteer first with the Chamber of Commerce and then around the same time with the local snowmobile club. To this day, I\u2019m still an active volunteer with Hill and Gully Riders and proud of all their accomplishments dating as far back as 1965. My business background is in automotive dealer management and thereafter self-employed in the fields of advertising and marketing. Once elected, my role will be to represent and serve the community through my proven leadership and dedication that has been demonstrated over the years. Serving as a voice for the community is an enormous responsibility and is not to be taken lightly, as one engages and considers the concerns and issues brought forward by the community.<\/p>\n

As I approached our local residents for nomination signatures and we discussed their concerns, there were four consistent topics being raised:<\/p>\n

1 – RATIONAL, RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT<\/u> \u2013 A concern not only in this community, but throughout Muskoka. The question is why is there a movement to urbanize this rural area? Reducing lot sizes from a hectare to an acre, coupled with potentially excessive development in a condensed area with independent sewage and water services, could potentially have negative implications on the surrounding area. People choose to reside in our rural community to get away from the urban development found in other towns. My position is to keep the hectare lot size, while continuing to encourage responsible, sustainable development.<\/p>\n

2 – FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY<\/u> \u2013 Residents, cottagers, and the economy of tourism are dependent on the natural landscape such as waterways, trees, and rock formations, as these are what make Muskoka such a desirable destination. Efforts must be made to keep our waterways pristine and accessible to the public. When it comes to the trees in our community, I believe the time has come for Huntsville to enact a tree-cutting by-law, something of which all other municipalities in Muskoka already have in place. If we fail to protect and preserve our local environment, why would people want to come here?<\/p>\n

3 – ENHANCED BY-LAW ENFORCEMENT<\/u> \u2013 As the municipality has developed and grown over the years, the one constant seems to be the number of by-law officers. The enforcement of our by-laws is currently complaint driven and keeps the officers more than busy. In an effort to be proactive in enforcing by-laws, I would propose that more officers be hired to cover our expansive geographic area. As I\u2019ve always said, why have by-laws if they can\u2019t be enforced?<\/p>\n

4 – CONCENTRATION ON CORE SERVICES<\/u> \u2013 Roads are the primary concern, as everyone has had some experience, both good and bad, but most reflect on the latter. Though there is a long-term plan in place, there are many roads in need of immediate attention, such as Muskoka Rd 10, Lone Pine Drive, and Greer Road. When travelling around Muskoka, no matter where, I\u2019m taken aback as to the amount of litter along our roadways, which just seems to accumulate. The time has come to bring back the community proud clean-ups or perhaps look at dedicating individuals to this task. After all, you only have one chance to make a positive first impression.<\/p>\n

In addition to the above, there were two broader concerns also raised among residents:<\/p>\n