On Wednesday, October 21st our Grant Deme spoke with the three candidates for Mayor in the town of Perth.
Here are those interviews, presented in alphabetical order.
David Bird outlines priorities in Perth mayoral race
Perth mayoral candidate David Bird says financial planning, infrastructure and cooperation between municipalities are central to his campaign. In a one-on-one interview with 88.1 myFM’s Grant Demme, the current town councillor discussed rising costs, the Caivan development and his approach to leadership if elected.
Watch the full interview below to hear Bird explain his priorities and his vision for the future of Perth.
Key takeaways from the interview
- Affordability and taxes: Bird acknowledges concerns about rising property taxes and water rates. He believes the town needs new ways to fund services rather than relying primarily on tax increases.
- Long-term financial planning: Bird wants to continue developing financial plans that look beyond a single council term, addressing infrastructure needs and protecting municipal reserves.
- Recreation and shared costs: He supports working with neighbouring municipalities to share the costs of recreational facilities, arguing that property taxes alone cannot cover growing recreational needs.
- Caivan development: Bird says the town must ensure the development meets its conditions, including 113 requirements and more than 70 housing units intended for county use, including affordable housing.
- Communication and transparency: He believes the town needs to do a better job explaining municipal responsibilities and the limits of council’s authority, particularly when dealing with major developments.
- Strong mayor powers: Bird says he would not use strong mayor powers, preferring to work through council decisions and build agreement among elected representatives.
- Experience and leadership: Having served on council for eight years, Bird believes a balance of experienced and newly elected members is important. He says the mayor’s role is to represent the collective decisions of council rather than impose an individual agenda.
Stephanie Drummond outlines priorities in Perth mayoral race
Perth mayoral candidate Stephanie Drummond says affordability, economic development and listening to residents are central to her campaign. In a one-on-one interview with 88.1 myFM’s Grant Demme, Drummond discussed her plans to attract investment, create opportunities for younger residents and bring a fresh perspective to town hall.
Watch the full interview below to hear Drummond explain her priorities and her vision for the future of Perth.
Key takeaways from the interview
- Affordability and taxes: Drummond says residents are concerned about rising costs, property taxes and infrastructure. She wants to keep taxes low while encouraging responsible growth.
- Economic development: She wants to use the town’s planning department to attract businesses, industry and investment, creating better-paying jobs and encouraging younger residents to stay in Perth.
- Recreation and community growth: Drummond supports expanding recreational opportunities and working with community partners to make Perth a more attractive place to live and raise a family.
- Leadership and experience: Making her second run for mayor, Drummond says she wants to make an immediate impact despite never having held municipal office. She says she would lead by listening and working toward consensus with council.
- Development and campaign relationships: Drummond addressed questions about campaign supporters with connections to local development. She said she does not consider Christopher Frogger’s volunteer involvement a conflict of interest regarding the Caivan development and has not discussed future development plans with supporter Toby Shannan.
- Strong mayor powers: Drummond says she would consider using strong mayor powers within their legal limits to support housing, investment and responsible growth. She believes voters would be aware of that position when casting their ballots.
- Listening to residents: Drummond says door-to-door conversations have reinforced how much people care about Perth. She wants residents to feel heard and have their concerns taken seriously.
Isabel Anne McRae outlines priorities in Perth mayoral race
Perth mayoral candidate Isabel Anne McRae says communication, responsible financial management and supporting young families are central to her campaign. In a one-on-one interview with 88.1 myFM’s Grant Demme, McRae discussed economic development, the Caivan housing project and her plans to bring a practical approach to town hall.
Watch the full interview below to hear McRae explain her priorities and her vision for the future of Perth.
Key takeaways from the interview
- Communication with residents: McRae wants regular neighbourhood meetings, more public updates from municipal officials and better communication with residents who don’t use social media.
- Financial management: She supports reviewing municipal spending in detail, finding new revenue sources and establishing an economic advisory committee with representatives from local businesses and industry.
- Caivan development: McRae says strong municipal oversight will be needed as the housing development moves forward, particularly around infrastructure, servicing and environmental impacts. She also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving other candidates.
- Strong mayor powers: McRae firmly opposes using strong mayor powers, saying municipal decisions should be made collectively by elected councillors.
- Child care and young families: She wants to expand access to child care, including before- and after-school programs, to help attract and retain young families in Perth.
- Recreation and economic development: McRae supports moving forward with a regional recreation centre while strengthening partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce, Business Improvement Association and local industry to create economic opportunities.
- Experience and leadership: McRae points to her background in health care, recreation management, education governance and strategic planning. She says those experiences would help her lead council and develop practical plans for the community.
Ed McPherson was not available for this round of interviews.
His previous interview can be found here:
Perth mayoral candidate Ed McPherson focuses on affordability and experience
