By Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
HAGERSVILLE — Lifelong Ward 4 resident Jesse Little is stepping forward as a candidate in the upcoming Ward 4 By-Election in a campaign based on a desire to see new, fresh faces representing the community, and a desire to see a transparent government that accurately reflects the desires of residents.
While Little has no previous experience in municipal government, he said he learned the importance of hard work, dedication, and responsibility while growing up on his grandparent’s hobby farm in the ward.
“We must be responsible stewards of our resources, with responsible management, for the community’s prosperity and for future generations because of the direct connection between our actions, our natural resources, and the community’s well-being,” said Little on the approach he would take if elected to the seat.
Little said infrastructure matters, including traffic management and water/wastewater treatment facilities, in addition to the appointment of a new CAO are some of the bigger issues facing Haldimand. Of note, Haldimand has named Cathy Case as the new interim-CAO, replacing former CAO Craig Manley, eyeing a permanent appointment to the role following a probationary period.
Little feels that a more robust approach should be considered, “The CAO appointment must be transparent including a hiring process of receiving external applications from qualified applicants in order to secure the greatest return for our shareholders.”
Expanding on his infrastructure concerns, Little spoke of the gridlock experienced in certain parts of the ward as an issue he would like to address, and noted, “Water/wastewater treatment infrastructure is reaching capacity even without the additional growth that is predicted.”
Little said the County needs to lobby the Province to “reconsider their traffic load threshold for a by-pass as their spreadsheet data does not reflect the impacts on the real world that the current numbers are having. Additional permanent traffic increases will cripple the current transportation routes of people and goods that are already struggling with gridlock that is detrimental to the quality of life and safety of the residents as well as the economic operations of the community.”
He added, “These are priorities that must be addressed for a functional community that is growing.”
Little said he is running now to continue in former Councillor Natalie Stam’s footsteps, presenting “new faces with new perspectives to represent and grow our community.”
He questioned the current Council’s “questionable treatment of the public,” and vowing to strive for a “higher standard” in how Council interacts with the public. “We need more community involvement in our local government to create the future that we desire. Take action and be the change that you want to see.”
On Hagersville’s Library + Active Living Centre, Little is encouraged by the development, sharing his suggestions, “The facility needs to be all inclusive with being capable of accommodating current and future population demands… To ensure a healthy aging population, health-orientated facilities and services should be incorporated into the design… I would encourage more input from the shareholders of the community before any plan is finalized.”
He expressed general support for the proposed Sandusk development that would see development occur on lands adjacent to the Hagerville quarry, again noting traffic and water/wastewater concerns, “This development, with the population increase, must account for the future demands on all services including policing and the Hospital that are already stressed.”
Little said that staying ahead of rising inflation can be achieved by making “strategic investments with high returns,” adding, “A high return investment should have multiple returns, including financially as well as directly to the community. These include securing commercial and industrial businesses to Haldimand that would provide high paying local employment while paying higher tax rates to the County while providing additional revenue streams.”
Little commented on the service club crisis that is seeing lowered enrollment threaten the long-term viability of a number of community groups, noting how he sees an opportunity to connect those groups to local high school students seeking their required 40 hours of community service.
“This will also benefit our youth by integrating them into the community with their required volunteer hours and will help to build their necessary social skills,” said Little. “With the increased isolation of personal devices, social interaction is a skill that the youth need to hone.
The recent spotlight on the Hagersville Lions Club’s Catch The Ace success has shown how much of an asset to the community these clubs are.”
He concluded, “With good relationships, a positive attitude and smart work: anything is possible.”
