Alliances important for mayoral neighbours: Campion
Three municipalities in south Niagara are guaranteed to have a new head of council after the upcoming municipal election.
Welland incumbent Frank Campion faces two challengers, but Port Colborne, Wainfleet and Pelham will all have new individuals in charge of their local governments.
Neighbouring municiplaities working closely on issues is common practice. Campion says if he is re-elected, he looks forward to bringing the new people voted in up to speed on matters that relate to each of their communities, as well as at Niagara Region.
“I’ll immediately welcome the opportunity to sit down with the new mayors,” said Campion in a recent interview.
Pushing upper levels of government on issues like health care, economic development and tourism is also part of what neighbouring municipalities combine their resources on.
“We don’t want those conversations to just die,” said Campion, referring to many files that will remain open after voters have their say in less than three months.
“By keeping that alliance of south Niagara mayors together, we have more impact when we go to the province and the federal government,” he said.
Campion is challenged by David Clow and Steven Soos.
Clow did not respond to the Tribune when asked about how he would handle an influx of new mayors, including himself, is successful in the election.
Soos says south Niagara municipalities share a lot of the same issues, health care being one of them.
“I will also be happy to continue the conversation on advocating on full service to the Welland hospital, which our other Niagara-south municipalities often utilize,” he said.
Out-going Port Colborne Mayor John Maloney is getting ready to enjoy his retirement, but hopes the outcome of the election in his city and other parts of the region have a positive impact on all 12 communities in Niagara, not just in the southern tier.
He said there will be a “longterm and short-term learning curve” for new leaders of local government and that they will have to be ambassadors to the community seven days a week, while also being able to work
with constituents and municipal staff.
Maloney, a Liberal member of Parliament from 1993 to 2008 before re-entering politics in Port Colborne’s 2014 election, said there are plenty of opportunities for teamwork between towns and cities at the Region.
“If there’s an issue that’s personal to your own community, you have to enlist the support of regional council,” he said.
Wainfleet will swear in a new mayor as April Jeffs is not running in the Oct. 22 contest and Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn has entered the regional council race.