Couple running for council

There are 20 people running for the position of town councillor in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, and two of them just happen to be married.

“I have watched council for a number of years. My husband was on it — not this past council, but the one before,” Emir Anne Andrews said when asked about her side-by-side campaign. “We’ve watched council, this one that’s just ending, and we’ve been very concerned about a lot of the decisions they’ve made,” she said.

Andrews and her husband, Stephen Andrews, share issues of concern, she said, but they also each have separate topics they are interested in promoting and pursuing if elected.

As an example, she said, accessibility is a key concern for her.

“I’ve had mobility problems myself for years. So I think I can identify a lot more with some of the issues our aging population has and probably a lot of other people can’t. And that’s not a negative on them. A lot of things I wasn’t aware of until I had mobility problems myself,” she said.

“There are places that, say, will put up a ramp that supposedly meets minimum standards (and) if you can get to the top of the ramp, there’s such a small space a wheelchair, I don’t think, could turn. And then there’s one step to get into where you’re going, yet supposedly it’s accessible.”

She said she would focus on awareness in seeking to have businesses and builders consider functionality, encouraging them to move beyond minimum standards.

Taxes, tied to jumping property values, are another concern, she said, suggesting mitigation measures need to be explored.

Sustainable development is a shared concern.

Stephen Andrews is focused on the town getting a municipal plan approved.

He also wants more care taken to see the town follows standing regulations when considering new development proposals.

On all issues, he said, he is looking to engage residents on the decisions of the incoming council, planning to ramp up an outreach program to provide basic information on council work and increase public consultations on key issues.

“I’d like to see us build stronger relationships with our neighbouring communities,” he added, promoting shared services and new “synergies.”

The couple said they have no problem of one of them being elected over the other, but are both eager to serve.