Rideau Lakes mayoral candidate Paula Banks says concerns about strong mayor powers and the direction of township council convinced her to seek the municipality’s top political job.
Banks joined council midway through the previous term. She said her decision to run for mayor followed conversations about whether candidates would return the provincial powers granted to the head of council.
Banks said she does not believe those powers should remain concentrated in the mayor’s office.
Banks said her campaign is also about bringing a different approach to leadership.
She believes the mayor must create an environment where councillors and township staff can work together effectively, even when members disagree.
And she made it clear that in her opinion the outgoing Mayor Arie Hoogenboom doesn’t create that sort of environment.
Council conduct has become a major issue in Rideau Lakes, with disagreements and procedural battles sometimes overshadowing municipal business.
Banks argued the difficulties are not present across every part of the township’s political process. She pointed to planning and economic development discussions as examples of councillors working through complicated matters.
Banks said she would model her approach after former Rideau Lakes mayor Ron Holman. While she did not always agree with Holman’s policies, she credited him with understanding how to manage debate and maintain order.
She also pointed to her professional career in supply chain as experience that would help her organize priorities, manage competing interests and guide decisions.
Another major campaign issue is Alto, the proposed high-speed rail network connecting Toronto and Quebec City.
Banks said she is deeply involved with an interprovincial group examining the project and believes the route is likely to pass through Rideau Lakes.
She said Alto sought a non-disclosure agreement from the township in August and also approached Elizabethtown-Kitley.
Banks said protecting the township’s interests during the rail planning process would be her first priority as mayor.
She also believes the head of council should concentrate on guiding meetings instead of becoming another participant in political arguments.
Banks identified municipal office space as another pressing concern. She said the township has spent close to $1 million on the issue since 2018 but still has little to show for it.
According to Banks, the existing office requires approximately $600,000 in work and is listed as a $2-million municipal asset.
She also called for more discussion of major financial matters, including what she described as a $50-million sports agreement involving Smiths Falls.
Banks said mayoral candidates must offer more than promises to change the atmosphere at council. She argued they must also explain how they would handle the major projects, financial decisions and infrastructure needs facing Rideau Lakes.
You can listen to Evan Gibb’s full interview with candidate Banks below.
