EloraFergusToday asked candidates in the upcoming municipal election to tell us a little bit about themselves and their platform.
Name: Robert Cassolato
Occupation: Senior leader in financial services and data management
How long have you lived in Puslinch? Eight years
Why are you running in this election? I am seeking the privilege of public office to be a fresh voice. My wife, four children and I love our special community of Puslinch. I respect the tradition and beauty of this community which is why I would like to see it grow in ways that still honour its past. My overall goal is to provide strong governance to the decisions that come before council and thoroughly consider financial choices to ensure they aligns with the communities wants/needs.
I am a connector, an ambassador, a champion, an advocate and I will serve with civic pride.
What qualifies you to represent Puslinch? I have a 17-year business career and am formally educated in public policy/regulatory law. This background will allow me to engage in budgetary, operational, by-law and legislative elements as it pertains to issues/opportunities for Puslinch. This is an important as it combines with a strong community connection to understand how specific decisions council takes directly leads to strategic, tactical and operational execution.
In my spare time outside of family and career, I am keenly interested in teaching! For the past several years I have been a Sessional Professor in Business and Information Technology which has been an exciting endeavor because it has allowed me to share my knowledge with our leaders of tomorrow. A big part of being a good teacher is being a good listener and I feel like that quality will help me immensely on Council.
Lastly, I have no connections to special interest groups, industries or any elements which may alter my perspectives or decisions on council. I think that is an important foundational qualification to properly represent all residents of Puslinch.
Why should people vote for you? With a successful track record of leading and collaborating with multiple levels of government and community organizations, I am uniquely prepared to lead Puslinch as a council member. I am running for council for the people and to bring fresh perspectives to topics like high property taxes, environmental challenges, sustainable growth, recreational trail accessibility, historical community elements, gravel roads, road speeds and traffic stop signs. I will encourage viable growth in Puslinch with a fortress balance sheet and financial sustainability. I will work with humility to find compromise and mutually beneficial solutions between all parties by reviewing the relevant information and asking the tough questions.
What do you see as the main issues facing residents of Puslinch on a broader scale? After knocking on many doors and listening to our residents I have focused on five primary pillars for my campaign:
1. Lower property taxes by taking a hard look at all services provided by the township to ensure we are getting maximum value for our dollar. Also, by completing a comprehensive review of service levels to be transparent with residents around potential savings possible.
2. Sustainable growth by carefully considering all growth elements that impact Puslinch. This includes supporting our townships growth plan, keeping a close eye on Guelph’s Clair-Maltby Plan as well as Milton’s plans for expansion.
3. Environmental Protection by holding aggregate producers to account for the land they disrupt but often do not restore by taxing them fully, at a commercial rate, for all their lands (active or inactive) and supporting independent auditing for tonnage taken. Further to this, actively examining large water users to reduce impacts to Puslinch residents, all of whom rely on private well & septic.
4. Heritage Preservation by expanding the heritage registry, enhancing public education on Puslinch buildings, boosting signage for awareness, and looking at creating an education park which embodies our rich heritage.
5. Recreational Trail Accessibility by working with all the amazing trail owners in Puslinch and the Grand River Conservation Authority to support and fund important infrastructure enhancements such as parking lots and other amenities.
What is the most important thing you want to see changed in Puslinch? For this position you cannot think of one most important thing because every decision has a downstream effect. You have to put the well-being of our residents first, carefully consider each decision by providing good governance including risk management, budget optimization, quality of life for our residents and future implications for the township as a whole. My years in business and leadership have well prepared me to deal with the challenges I will no doubt face on council to help guide Puslinch into the future.
What services need to be improved in Puslinch? My number one platform pillar noted above is ensuring we are getting maximum value for our dollar when it comes to the services we pay for in Puslinch. By completing a comprehensive review of service levels, which are completely priced out and measured against actual delivery we can confidently say where improvements can be made. This will also tell us potentially where we are overpaying for services and could led to savings. This is important because we could then use those saving to enhance areas of services that are lacking from a community perspective.
Is Puslinch growing too fast, just the right amount, or not fast enough? There are many elements that needs to be considered when talking about growth in Puslinch! The important thing for me is supporting and making the right decisions on “sustainable” growth. The fact is our growth profile is largely determined at the provincial level. Over the next 4, 8, 12 years many elements will directly and indirectly affect us such as our neighbours Guelph and Milton, as well as any green belt expansion approved by the province. We will need to carefully wade through these complex dependencies and assumptions to position Puslinch accordingly, clearly voicing our support or opposition.
What can be done at the local level about the rising cost of housing? Local governments have control over local land-use planning. What gets built where is largely the purview of local governments. Keeping this in mind the local level can have a positive or negative effect on new residential construction which is a direct element in the supply side of the housing. So good local land-use planning can have an impact on the cost of housing and should be reviewed further for potential opportunities.
What should be done to address ongoing issues with the aggregate industry? The aggregate industry in Puslinch township is a growing concern and we have to find a way to appropriately address the issues long-term. The industry has to pay its fair share in taxes and fees to run its operations. Right now, they are not, so we must continue to work with the provinces to review and provide input to address the tax inaccuracy. Further to this I support independent auditing for tonnage taken out of Puslinch. Right now, the amount of gravel taken is not properly reconciled or audited which is concerning. A formal, transparent, independent process must be established to properly measure how much tonnage the aggregate industry is taking out of Puslinch.
How do we make Puslinch an even better place to live? Puslinch offers so much rich history, beauty and opportunity for those that are fortunate enough to live and work here! I believe our community is inclusive and we must continue to lead with a community-focused approach. Puslinch is already a great place to live and what I will be focused on is how do we preserve that for the generations to come while still addressing and prioritizing the needs of today.
