Retired Indian Point firefighter who once lived in Rosedale want to represent ward 4 on council.

By Pepper Parr

April 2, 2014

BURLINGTON, ON.

Steve Kempf has a very steep learning curve ahead of him but he seems determined to get himself a seat at city hall – and doesn’t seem too concerned about which ward he actually represents.

Steve Kempf’s decision to buy this property at Indian Point and then seek a severance taught him more than he wanted to know about city hall.

A resident of Ward 1, he lives at Indian Point where he created a ruckus when he went for a severance in 2011 that a lot of people didn’t like.

Kempf says had had the support of the planners at city hall – and that the Conservation Authority called him to advise him that the 200 foot water front lot looking over the bay could be severed.  So sever it he did.

Steve Kempf is a little on the abrupt side.  During the Indian Point character study he was pretty noisy and wonders why the city wasted $100,000 doing a study that has done nothing for the community.  Kempf says he knew the ward Councillor wanted the study done and that there were a small percentage of people who didn’t want any change.  The community knew that once a single severance was granted more would follow and that, many, thought that would be the end of the community.

Kempf clearly believes in change – and if you look at the house next to the two properties he bought – you get an understanding as to what he sees in the way growth and change.  The structure to the east of his new house is rundown and badly in need of an upgrade – certainly past its best before date.

Buildings get old, they need renewal; plumbing and electrical services need to be upgraded – and, Kempf maintains, you need to make changes to the outside of the building – sometimes the whole building.

So – why ward 4 when he lives in ward 1?  He thought of running in ward 1 “but there is already at least one good candidate and a very strong incumbent.”  He looked at ward 6 as well, believing that Blair Lancaster could be beaten, but he had no affinity with that ward.  Kempf wonders if he is going to end of running against Jack Dennison, who has yet to declare  and tells an interesting story of the evening he was at the Golf and Country Club sitting at a table in the dining room and was there by himself – except for Jack Dennison.  “I really wanted to go over and ask him if he was going to run, but I didn’t” said Kempf.

Candidate Kempf knows he has a steep learning curve ahead of him. He will be taking a lot of notes in the next seven months.

What does Steve Kempf know about how city hall works?  When it comes to how council works – he doesn’t know very much and faces a very steep learning curve but points out that all the others who were new to council had to learn.  He quickly adds that he can tell you a lot about the way the departments work: Way too much red tape and it takes forever to get a permit.

Kempf who was a fireman in Mississauga for 28 years will tell you that in that city two things were exceptionally well done.  The building department worked and the Mayor did her job.  “If you had a problem in Mississauga you called Hazel – and the problem was looked into” said Kempf.  “You may not have agreed with the answers Mayor Hazel McCallion gave you but at least you knew she had looked at your problem.

Kempf maintains he had a problem with Burlington Hydro and called the Mayor’s office. “I never heard back from him”, said Kempf.

 Kempf, born in the west end of Toronto, spent some time with his family in Owen Sound and will tell you that he “has some history with the city”.  He bought a property on Indian Road and sought a severance – his was the first anyone had asked for since 1929 – so you know that ruffled some feathers.

Kempf has lived in Milton, Mt Nemo and Roseland.  He has built a number of homes – five he thinks.  He found that Burlington, from his point of view was a mess in terms of getting anything through city hall.

When Kempf finished high school in Owen Sound he moved to Toronto and got a job in a factory as a labourer.  He saw an opportunity to get a job as a fire fighter – went for it and spent 28 years fighting fires and retired as a Captain.

Like many firefighters his schedule left him with time to build home and to run an electronics importing business on the side.

Kempf saw Mississauga as a very well managed city and the fire department a place where staff was encouraged to bring forward ideas; :there was a reward system where we would get a day off if an idea was accepted.  We had input and felt the operation was something we not only worked at – but something we contributed to as well.”

Married in 1980, Burlington became home because that’s where his wife’s parents lived.  They lived in Millcroft and Campbellville as well for a period of time.

Steve Kempf isn’t a Rotarian, doesn’t serve on any committees – he builds.  The opportunity to buy the two properties on Indian Road came up in 2010. 

Kempf doesn’t like government sticking their nose in his business.  He understands that government is needed but he doesn’t think they should be doing studies like the Indian Point Neighbourhood Character study.  He believes that market forces will bring about needed changes.

The lack of a post-secondary education shows when it comes to complex financial matters.  The running of a city is complex and understanding how the budget is created is not easily absorbed by high school graduates.

Kempf is a put up or shut up kind of guy who understands the city needs to bring in more business to town and can’t understand “why we don’t have good people out there selling the city.”  He is the kind of guy who just wants to get it done.

Bridgewater site is the kind of thing Kemp likes to see happening. He isn’t a build for the sake of building but he is a build for growth kind of guy.

He likes the Race Around the Bay even though it impeded his ability to get out of Indian Point for a bit but he isn’t a fan of the Chilly Half Marathon that closes Lakeshore Road.

Loves the Performing Arts Centre – would just love to see them doing more.

Regional government – has a lot to learn at that level.

Knew nothing about the squabble over selling city waterfront land to private ownership.

Big on multicultural issues.

Would like to see taxes tied to the cost of living.

Thinks the waterfront is under used.

Wants to see a lot more economic development.

Notebook under his arm, pier in the background ward 4 candidate Steve Kempf would like to see the city getting more use out of the waterfront.

Kempf felt that the Habitat for humanity project in Aldershot should be required to compensate people who have to give up some of their privacy when a development impacts them negatively.

At first look – Kempf is untested.  He has time on his hands and has personal issues with the way city hall handles people who want to build.  It would be interesting to watch him in a debate with John Sweeney and Alexandra Kubrick – and possibly Jack Dennison.  Is there another candidate out there?

The candidate for the ward 4 seat expects to have a web site up soon.  This business of getting elected is new Steve Kempf – he is going to have an interesting seven months – let’s see how he does.