Current Mayor of Tweed Jo-Anne Albert is in the race again. (Photo/submitted)
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Thirty-two years Elementary Teacher with Hastings & Prince Edward District School Board (retired)
Tweed Festival of Trees
Quinte Health Care Foundation Board
PREVIOUS POLITICAL EXPERIENCE
Four terms Municipality of Tweed Council:
2003 to 2006 – Councillor
2006 to present – Mayor
2009 to 2011 – Warden of Hastings County
Committees/Boards:
Quinte Source Water Protection
Eastern Ontario Regional Network
Hastings Prince Edward Health Unit- Vice Chair
Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Hastings County Economic and Tourism Development Advisory – Chair
Hastings/Quinte Community and Human Services
Hastings County Planning and Development
Hastings County Finance, Property & Personnel
Hasting /Quinte Emergency Services
Hastings /Quinte Long-Term Care Committee
Central Hastings Transit Committee
Quinte Regional Marketing Board
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR THIS POSITION?
I am seeking re-election for my 4th term, and if re-elected, I will continue to provide strong leadership, working with the newly-elected council in a team effort, building on Council’s accomplishments to date. It is important to be a strong spokesperson, showcasing the best of our Municipality as a preferred destination to live, work and play. I believe that my experience as a long-term elected representative in our municipality, with Hastings County, and my involvement in local, regional and provincial organizations and initiatives will serve the Municipality of Tweed well as we deal with continuous change at all levels. In our Municipality, we must consider the needs of our different populations: the village, a number of hamlets, and rural areas; year-round and seasonal residents; seniors, youth, and others.
Priorities to be addressed include:
Proactively anticipating emerging challenges for municipalities related to provincial and federal legislation.
Working with the Hastings County Economic Development Department, our Chamber of Commerce, Tweed residents, and others to support existing and new businesses
Being a strong advocate for affordable housing in our Municipality for seniors, families and youth
Encouraging and supporting service clubs, community/volunteer groups, and the Hamlet and Beautification Committees in their important work
Supporting tourism and special events offered by community organizations, businesses, and the Municipality’s Community Development Department
Working with our farmers on local agricultural issues and be a strong support for our agricultural community
Advocating and continuing to meet with higher levels of Government to obtain funding for:
A third lagoon that will allow further development in the village
Other pressing infrastructure projects
Regularly updating asset management planning
Continuing to keep taxes at a reasonable level
A former councillor in Tweed, Justin Bray is running for the Mayor’s position. (Photo/submitted)
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Justin grew up in the Municipality of Tweed attending S.H. Conner Public School and Tweed-Hungerford Senior School before graduating from Centre Hastings Secondary School. Following high school, he began working at Procter and Gamble in Belleville where he has worked his way to his current role as Site Construction Leader. Justin’s family consists of his wife, Shannon, and their two children Neely and Jack. Justin was also a member of the Tweed Fire Department for 12yrs.
Hobbies include travel because it’s the best investment you make on yourself.
Fishing, and spending time at the cottage with friends and family.
PREVIOUS POLITICAL EXPERIENCE
Justin has been active in the Tweed political scene for the last 12 years: eight years as Councillor for the Municipality of Tweed and the last four years as South East Hastings School Board Trustee.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR THIS POSITION?
I am running for the position of mayor because I feel the municipality needs a change. We are the second largest municipality in Hastings County with one of the smallest populations of six people per sq km compared to our neighbours at 16. That means we need to do things three times better and three times cheaper. We have the largest infrastructure system to maintain with 53 bridges, almost 600 km of road, plus water and sewer management. I believe current council’s priorities and spending are not focused on the needs of the municipality, not only to maintain its infrastructure but to keep it sustainable. Waiting and hoping for funding down the road is not a management tool I agree with. We need to set clear and measurable goals not only for staff but also for Council, and come up with a true plan to reach those goals based on the needs of the whole municipality. This is what will hold us accountable. We not only need to attract new business but also retain current business to promote growth. Seven and a half years to build a hardware store which will double its current staff is unacceptable. I don’t care if you have $10 or $10 million, how can I help you invest it in our community. We need a council that will act quickly and make tough decisions so investors don’t go elsewhere. This is the reason why I am running for council.
