EloraFergusToday asked candidates in the upcoming municipal election to tell us a little bit about themselves and their platform.
Name: Dan Yake
Occupation: I have worked for the Ontario Clean Water Agency as a Wastewater Plant Operator/Mechanic since 2007 at the Mount Forest and Arthur wastewater facilities as well as a water plant operator in Mapleton township in Drayton and Moorefield.
How long have you lived in Wellington North? I have lived in Wellington North/Mount Forest most of my life (55years). My parents moved to Mount Forest where my dad owned and operated the IGA grocery store and my mother owned and operated her own fabric and wool retail business, I attended elementary school and high school, before attending Seneca College to become a golf course superintendent. I have been married to my wife Kim for 33 years and we have two children, Greg and Jenna.
Why are you running in this election? I am running in this election because after 28 years as a councillor I know that I still have much to offer our community and feel that we need new leadership to make that happen, I know that I can energize and inspire our community.
Why should people vote for you? I am asking people to vote for me because for almost half my life I have been a dedicated elected official to our community and I am willing to continue public service for many more years. I am prepared to retire from my full time job to put Wellington North first and make a full time commitment as the mayor, I am dependable, open minded, consistent, willing to take a progressive approach, have a sense of humour and ready to take on the challenge that our future holds.
What do you see as the main issues facing residents of Wellington North on a broader scale?
(In no particular order)
- Growth – small communities like Wellington North were not designed for large amounts of growth all at once, but it is either here or coming and we need to deal with it properly. Growth is expensive to the township, but it is also beneficial and council must make sure they are ready to handle the financial implications.
- Council Engagement – the local council must be better prepared to deal with and understand the various difficult issues that we will be faced with in the next decade and with each other.
- Business Community-- if we are to survive as a small community, we must work harder to support our local businesses, agriculture, retail, manufacturing, online, and more, we must pay attention to their needs, and how to help them become and stay successful.
- Environment—Wellington North must play a part in protecting our environment and dealing with climate change, we have to create opportunities to do our part, even if it is only small, electric vehicles, solar energy, minimize our fuel usage, monitor energy costs and usage, shut off lights, turn down AC etc.
- Safety—Wellington North must be safe for everyone, pedestrians, vehicles, pets, we need to take advantage of every possible safety enhancement, signage, electronic speed signs, sidewalks, education efforts.
- Quality of life Improvements—such as updated recreational facilities, parks, greenspaces, trails.
- Affordability—We must do all of the above and yet keep a close eye on spending/waste, and value the people who live here and value their hard earned money.
What is the most important thing you want to see changed in Wellington North? I think the most important change we need to see is that we are all moving in the same direction and after 20 plus years of amalgamation I`m still not sure we are. I`m not sure that I want to see sweeping changes in Wellington North, but rather a change in the way we think as a council and a community,
What services need to be improved in Wellington North? Every service that we offer can be improved, services need to be continually reviewed, checked, monitored and improved, and we need to make sure we offer the right services for our residents and businesses.
Is Wellington North growing to fast, just right or not fast enough? We are certainly seeing more growth than we have ever seen, we have things in place to help control the rate of growth, but developers are pressuring WN to allow more development in my opinion I think we are growing too fast for us to keep up with the infrastructure needs, recreation needs, etc, that all come with growth and the costs associated.
What can be done at the local level about the rising cost of housing? Unfortunately, the cost of housing is a very difficult issue to deal with, and every village, town and city are different and until there is the political will from all levels of government to deal with it then I`m not sure local governments can tackle the issue alone.
Should a new pool be built in Mt Forest at $ 6+million? The discussion about a new pool has been going on for many years and unfortunately time has slipped by and costs have risen drastically. There is no doubt that a new facility needs to be built, many hours of discussion, about design, location and fund raising have taken place, as our community continues to grow, so does our need for new recreation amenities. The answer is yes, a new pool should be built, but the cost of a new pool may not be within reach for Wellington North at this time.
How do we make Wellington North an even better place to live? As the mayor, I will start by energizing and inspiring our community, and offering a “Make a Difference Today Approach," I will make every day count as we build Wellington North`s future with confidence.
There is significant opportunity for continued progress, but it will require bold new leadership on council to make difficult decisions
We need to all pitch in and help to make our community better, share our ideas, and work together.
Any link to an election website or social media account?
@DanYake3 (Twitter)
Dan Yake on Facebook
