SHARING VISIONS OF BRIGHT FUTURE
Leading up to the Nov. 5 municipal elections, the West Island Gazette will run mayoral profiles from Off-Island communities, beginning with Hudson. Ed Prévost, Hudson’s outgoing mayor, is not seeking re-election. Brianna Tomkinson reports.
Joe Eletr may be new to politics, but says Hudson needs a great mayor, not just a good politician. The owner of GCA Auto Repair Shop and father of four has lived in Hudson for five years with his wife Diane. He’s been a volunteer in Hudson’s Arts and Culture Committee, and is the lead organizer for the Hudson Auto Show and annual Soap Box Derby. His website is josepheletrformayor.com.
Q Why are you the right person for the job?
A When discussing “political experience,” it should be about results, rather than time in office. As an example of a job well done, I am very impressed by our current MP (Peter Schiefke). Since the 2015 election, our community is extremely well represented. If the people of Hudson choose me to serve, I guarantee four years’ worth of results. Over 40 years, I’ve earned my reputation for integrity, respect, leadership, problem-solving and community service. I don’t promise to please all of the people – all of the time, but to work for all of the people all of the time.
Q If you are elected, what would be the first issue at town hall you would tackle?
A The first issues must be addressing our roads and infrastructure. An unacceptable portion of our roads is in an advanced state of disrepair. There have been several falls in the village centre due to the many deep cracks in our sidewalks. I will review the road repair plan, ascertain the cost and announce our timeline within the first 60 days of my mandate. This file has been on hold for almost a year and we must advance. Once the urgent repairs are done, we will produce and follow a maintenance program. Secondly (but as important), is the water supply dossier.
Q What is the biggest challenge facing Hudson?
A Hudson has taken some hard hits in an extremely public way over the past few years. From the tone at town hall meetings and on social media, it’s clear that trust has been lost. If we want Hudson to even continue to exist, we need to restore trust with good management. We need to dust ourselves off, work together and move on. That’s why I chose “the right direction” as my campaign slogan. I will work with council to rebuild trust one step at a time. Empty promises and sales pitches such as tax cuts and freebies are not realistic.
Q What is your overall vision for Hudson for the coming mandate?
A First, we must identify and prioritize the “must-haves” and provide concrete, transparent plans and timelines. We will identify alternate sources of revenue for the “like-to-haves.” We will solicit input, listen to and thereby represent all of our citizens: seniors, young families, local business owners, artists, etc. We will create a youth council in the first 30 days. We must beautify the downtown core. Hudson is a community of warm and generous people who come together when it counts. I envision a strong foundation and renewed prosperity as the results of four years of honest and responsible management.
Q The proposed development of the privately owned Sandy Beach area has been controversial in Hudson. What, if anything, should the town do to respond to citizens’ concerns?
A Sandy Beach was purchased years ago and is privately owned. That is the reality. Of course, we are all aware of the very real sentimental attachment to the beach. The best and only realistic course of action is to continue to maintain a respectful and open dialogue with the owner with the aim of negotiating and working towards the best possible options and results for Hudson. Although he is technically retired, Bill Nash keeps busy with consulting and volunteer work, including serving as chairman of Maison d’Hérelle, a community not-for-profit organization dedicated to caring for people with HIV-AIDS. As well, he sits on Hudson’s infrastructure committee. A former vice-chairman of the provincial Liberals’ Chomedey riding association, he also spent five years on the board of the Société d’assurance automobile du Québec. Nash is married to Chantal Perreault and has four children and one grandchild on the way. He has lived in Hudson for four years. His website is billnashformayor.com.
Q Why are you the right person for the job?
A Because I care deeply about the future of Hudson. My wife and I love this town and we’re here to stay. I want to bring to bear my extensive experience (40 years) in senior management in Montreal companies with international footprints employing 100 to 800 employees, as well as running not-for-profit community organizations. I hold a diploma in corporate governance from Université Laval and am a member in good standing of the Order of Chartered administrators (Adm.A) as well as being a chartered director (C.Dir).
Q If you are elected, what would be the first issue at city hall you would tackle?
A The first thing I would do after having met the council would be to tour the facilities with the (town’s) general manager and meet all the employees. In council, we would need to learn how to work together and embark as soon as possible on setting priorities, planning the execution and setting objectives for the short to medium term.
Q What is the biggest challenge facing Hudson?
A I believe that the biggest challenge facing the new administration will be to build sustainable trust with the people of Hudson. This requires leadership where we must instil a culture of openness throughout the organization in addition to ongoing regular outbound communications from the town. This does not happen overnight and requires diligence and constancy of purpose for continual improvement but we can achieve that goal if we set our minds to it.
Q What is your overall vision for Hudson for the coming mandate?
A There are two major projects that need to be initiated. The first is the roads and the infrastructure beneath them (sewers, power etc.) and the water supply, first from an additional well and, in parallel, the development of a project to draw our water from the Ottawa River. These are multi-year projects whose execution will be beyond the four-year confines of the coming mandate, but they must get done for the sustainability of Hudson as a town. If these projects are solidly underway by the end of the mandate, we will have done well.
Q The proposed development of the privately owned Sandy Beach area has been controversial in Hudson. What, if anything, should the town do to respond to citizens’ concerns?
A With the exception of the servitudes granted to the town permitting public access to the beach, the area known as Sandy Beach is private property and the owner wishes to exercise his right to develop it. He has presented a project to the public and the town reported during a council meeting that they have been negotiating with the owner on improvements to the original project. There have been no further announcements on the subject. Until the substance of these discussions become known, any further comment as to potential “actions” would be purely hypothetical.
Jamie Nicholls grew up in Hudson. He left in 1989 to attend university in B.C., but after a few years working, studying and travelling, he returned home in 2007. Nicholls is a consultant, writer and co-founder of Hudson Forest School, which the father of two runs with wife Amanda MacDonald. He was the NDP MP for Vaudreuil-Soulanges from 2011 to 2015. He is also the founding director of the Watershed Council, and has been involved in the Hudson Film Society and the Hudson Festival of Canadian Film. As a consultant to McGill’s Liber Ero Chair in Conservation Biology, he has measured citizen perceptions of quality of life in St-Lazare and studied the history of St-Lazare’s cultural landscape. His website is jamie4mayor.ca.
Q Why are you the right person for the job?
A I’ve been connected to this town for over 40 years. I’ve served in public office and have been involved in policy development for over 20 years. A mayor is required to have a diverse skill set. My experience and deep knowledge of the fabric of our community set me apart.
Q If you are elected, what would be the first issue at city hall you would tackle?
A Finances and the budget. A proper needs analysis should be done well before the delivery of a budget. We need to run a tight ship in order to be able to make infrastructure improvements.
Q What is the biggest challenge facing Hudson?
A The biggest challenge facing Hudson is how it will grow. What will Hudson look like in 25 years? How will we get from a place of crumbling sidewalks and roads to a better future? How can we get to a point of agreement on these issues? A master plan for zoning and housing, completed within the first year, that involves all stakeholders will set the course.
Q What is your overall vision for Hudson for the coming mandate?
A A friendly, dynamic town hall where you get an answer from a human being within 24 hours. Getting our village core to be a shining example of the resilience of small towns and the people who live in them. We have great assets in this town that need to be recognized and celebrated.
Q The proposed development of the privately owned Sandy Beach area has been controversial in Hudson. What, if anything, should the town do to respond to citizens’ concerns?
A The land in question is on floodplain. Prior to the spring flood I reminded the (current) council and the developer’s consultant that they were planning a major development on the floodplain and questioned the wisdom of that. I helped out sandbagging the only house built adjacent to the beach. If elected, I will seek solutions with Nicanco (the owner of Sandy Beach), taking into account the complexities of the site this holding company purchased over three decades ago.