Mayor announces his intention to run for re-election.

SwP thumbnail graphicBy Pepper Parr

October 18th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It wasn’t a great surprise – if he wasn’t employed as the Mayor what would he do?

Inside Halton published a report that had Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring announcing earlier today that he would be seeking a third term in the 2018 municipal election.

Inside Halton went on to say that the Mayors used “…the Niagara Escarpment as a backdrop where the Mayor was joined by his wife Cheryl and children Stephanie and Lisa.

When asked why he was making his intentions known almost a year away from next year’s municipal election, Goldring replied the main reason was because so many people were asking him if he was planning to run again.

Goldring defends turf 2

Mayor answering questions during a ward 4 debate.

“And I thought this was the best way to let the community know what my intention is and that is to register in early May as a candidate,” he said.

Registration for candidates in the mayoral, Councillor or school board trustee races officially opens May 1, 2018.

Goldring said he specifically chose to make his announcement in north Burlington because the 100 per cent commitment by previous and current councils to maintain 50 per cent of the city (in the north) as rural.

“As we grow as a city, it is critical we maintain and enhance the 50 per cent of Burlington that’s in the greenbelt,” he noted.

The community would never have come into being were it not for the building of the 407 highway. That decision opene4d up land that was part of rural Burlington. Alton Village is bounded by the 407, Walkers Line on the west and Appleby Line on the east with Dundas making up the southern boundary.

The rural-urban boundary – defined by Hwy 407and Dundas is not going to ever be changed by cit council.

Burlington’s city council couldn’t change the regulation that has the land north of the Hwy 507 – Dundas Boundary and permit major residential development. The province and the Region would slap the city something silly if they even talked about such an idea.

The Mayor has created a straw dog.

If re-elected, Goldring said he would continue to bring what he has in the past to the office of the mayor.
“I think that’s the attitude of one of service, an attitude of collaboration, connecting with the community on a regular basis, as well as help provide direction to the city going forward, which I have done for the last seven years,” he explained, noting he didn’t see being mayor as a job, but rather a vocation.

“I’m fortunate to be the mayor, I take it very seriously. I’m honoured and privileged each and every day to do the role.”

They all say that – and Rick Goldring does take his job seriously.

During the release of the 2017 Vital Signs report by the Burlington Foundation, chair Ron Foxcroft, who likes to loosen up an audience with a little humour, told the story of Rick Goldring’s NHL career (there was of course no such things but when Ron Foxcroft is on a roll – there is no stopping him) he said there was just one thing missing – talent.

Ouch!

Goldring called the role of mayor a challenging one and currently facing a challenging time as the city is embarking on a path to adopt new municipal plans.

“I’m invigorated and inspired at the opportunity to continue to lead the city going forward,” he added.

“I look forward to the opportunity to continue to work with council, staff and the community in continuing to build and have a great city that is in fact the envy of the country and continues to be the best medium-sized city to live in Canada.”

That is part of the story – but only part. The reality is that Mike Wallace is out there beating the bushes and holding small events at various locations in the city where he meets with invited guests to re-introduce himself and measure what he might have in the way of support.

Mike Wallace wants to be Mayor so bad he can taste it.

Quite why Rick Goldring wants a third term is something one can only speculate about. He has not managed to do anything of any significance in his first two terms.

Still no Code of Conduct for city council members; Goldring sloughed that off to the city manager who is expected to come back with something – sometime.

Still no private tree bylaw – and for a committed environmentalist that is close to unconscionable.

This graphic sets out the issue. The two pieces of land at each end are owned by the city and will be turned into Windows on the LAke. The piece in the centre is owned by the city and the province. The three property owners want to purchase that centre piece and make it private property. Other people want to see a pathway through the property running from Lakeshore, down Market Street along the waterfront and up St. Paul back to Lakeshore. City council voted t sell the land in the center.

This graphic sets out the issue. The two pieces of land at each end are owned by the city and will be turned into Windows on the Lake. The piece in the centre is owned by the city and the province. The three property owners want to purchase that centre piece and make it private property. Other people want to see a pathway through the property running from Lakeshore, down Market Street along the waterfront and up St. Paul back to Lakeshore. City council voted t sell the land in the center.

The land at the edge of the lake between Market Street and St, Paul is gone forever – thank your Mayor for that one. The city owned the land – but we sold it.

At some point there will be a decision on whether or not New Street should have dedicated bike lanes.

The decision to go ahead with the Joseph Brant Museum transformation is going to end up being as serious a mistake as The Pier. Goldring came in as Mayor the Mayor who had to deal with The Pier mess – he may well leave office having left the city with a project that is only going to such money out of reserve funds for years to come.

Later this evening – Thursday October 18, the Mayor is going to hold a Telephone Town Hall during which he will listen to what people would like to see in the budget. He is doing this because he said a survey told city hall that people didn’t want to go out to attend budget meetings.

The pictures below tell a different story.

Burlingtonians will show up for public meetings and take an active part in any discussion - but they have to be given background briefings and decent oportunity to study and prepare.

Burlingtonians will show up for public meetings and take an active part in any discussion This is a budge review meeting with the Director of Finance leading the discussion.

wervbg

Citizens doing a solid review of a city budget. For the Mayor to suggest that people don;t want t attend is spurious at best.

But the race is on. We now need to hear what Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward plans to do. The last we heard – she is in – she has wanted to be Mayor since the day she ran for the ward 2 seat in 2010.

The 2014 election was a sleeper – that will not be the story for the next 12 months.

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8 comments to Mayor announces his intention to run for re-election.

  • TFChange

    In my view Goldring has regressed the beauty of Burlington into a conglomeration of concrete structures that lack infrastructure, planning and most importantly infrastructure. His desire to get tax money in any way possible has encouraged other Council members, most notably Craven, to new heights of incompetence and arrogance to the point that, in their view, planting a seedling with a plastic smile (recorded, of course for the Burlington Post by the ‘City Reporter’ – who always seems to be conveniently at hand for such events) negates the many high-rise concrete monstrosities that are sprouting all over the city.

    NO GOLDRING does not deserve another term as mayor it is time for change and time to let City Hall take note that the direction in Burlington towards a CONCRETE CITY is NOT ACCEPTABLE

  • Allan

    Irrespective of whether Rick Goldring is re-elected, I can’t recall any new development that the editor has supported. Pray tell me why “The decision to go ahead with the Joseph Brant Museum transformation is going to end up being as serious a mistake as The Pier”?

    Editor’s note: Au contraire – The five structure Paradigm on Fairview is something we supported. The Brock 2 on Ontario; the Station West in Aldershot, the Berkeley on John were all projects we thought were good. We also think the 421 Brant project should be approved and – if done properly the Waterfront Hotel site is a good idea.

  • steve

    I can’t wait to “not” vote for him.

  • Stephen White

    This quote from the article just about sums it up for many Burlington voters:

    “Quite why Rick Goldring wants a third term is something one can only speculate about. He has not managed to do anything of any significance in his first two terms.”

  • Phillip

    Interesting that Goldring’s backdrop for his “announcement” yesterday was the Niagara Escarpment–why not a mobility hub, or an intensification project, or the New Street Lane Reductions, or the Pier to Nowhere, or a chart showing property taxes have been rising at twice the rate of inflation. Goldring owns all of the aforementioned “accomplishments”! Personally, my gut tells me that yesterday’s announcement was merely a “feint” to cover for a provincial appointment well before the election.

  • William

    Spending money to host his campaign announcement at a golf course – 6 months prior to the permitted candidate registration period – is a violation of the Municipal Elections Act. Some might say this is small potatoes, but it reveals the measure of a man who believes he’s above the rules.

    Anyone who has worked on a municipal campaign knows this; doubtful though he’ll be held to account.

    • I think you are correct William.

      I’m a little concerned that the Ministry of Municipal Affairs is permitting a situation where incumbents can run around for a full year – de-facto campaigning.

      A challenger is more explicitly breaking the rules as the pattern of “campaigning” is less natural if you are not in government and generates more notable expense violations.

      • Phillip

        What needs to be changed is the shameless barrage of “official e-mails” that the mayor (especially) and councillors use to “inform” constituents in the 6 months prior to the municipal election. These are simply campaigning by these shameless
        politicians; Jack Dennison used them effectively during the 2014 pre-election period to show his “deep concern and involvement” in helping with the flood–it undoubtedly was responsible for his reelection. Strange we have had NO such letters FOLLOWING the election and especially during the NEW STREET FIASCO! The remedy is simple–the City of Burlington can send out the same information (and usually does!) without having the mayor and councillors engaging in de-facto election campaigning.