It’s kudos to the staff working for the Municipality of Brighton.
Looking back on 2021 Mayor Brian Ostrander says that despite the pandemic more roadwork, brushing, and sidewalks were completed than ever before.
Ostrander said under other councils in the recent past, the community was running short-staffed and wasn’t getting the job done that the residents deserved.
“It’s actually been incredible and it’s amazing what happens when you fill staff positions that have been left vacant for years and get the right people in the right positions to do that job.”
Meanwhile Mayor Ostrander says just as important as the work on hard services was council’s decision to hold public information meetings on planned new developments even before staff receives an official application on it.
“It’s outside of the planning act, we’re not required to do that but given the level of growth and the interest in the community about growth we just thought it was important that we get the citizens involved and engaged and get their eyeballs on these planning issues well in advance so they get to have a say and that’s important. This is a democracy and land use planning is a lower-tier issue and we’re dealing with a lot of land-use planning issues.”
Ostrander also told Quinte News how proud he was of the community getting together to support minorities such as the gay and indigenous communities.
A prominent sidewalk was painted orange in recognition of the horrors inflicted on the First Nations and a rainbow was painted on a crosswalk at a major intersection out of respect for LGBTQ people.
” …and that’s ok, it’s good. Let’s add some flavour to the mix, that’s what this country is built on and so too that is what Brighton should be built on and I think we’re looking forward to sort of the next local cultural revolution, very much so.”
