With the Town’s budget now finalized, Town Council will focus on updating the 2023 – 2027 Plan. I’m happy to report that this task has become necessary because we have already completed 15 of 28 identified tasks of significance. These tasks can be viewed as stepping stones to either better governance or making Pelham a better community in which to reside. Now an update is in order because we need to ensure that the second half of council’s mandate is as productive as the first.
As with many members of council, I believe the Plan has guided us and supported good decision making, often in difficult circumstances, over the past two years. Notwithstanding high levels of inflation, slower housing construction, and now tariff challenges from Canada’s major trading partner, this council has achieved all sorts of important milestones, including a new Secondary Plan for Fenwick, modernization of the fire department’s fleet, installation of charging stations, the purchase of electric vehicles for the fleet, reduced insurance costs through structural changes, adoption of corporate debt targets, significant debt reduction, and changes to the Town’s governance structure.
Halfway through this four-year term of office, it’s appropriate to celebrate how far we have come, but also the right time to see if the Strategic Plan requires tweaking in light of all that has changed in the world.
I don’t know what we’ll be adding to the plan, but for my part I’m interested in deepening relations with local First Nations, trying to increase tourism in Pelham, creating a heritage building inventory, and likely assessing whether the current grant system is working for the community partners who depend upon support from Town Hall. Items that no doubt will remain in the plan include the renovation of Fire Station 1 in Fonthill, renovation of the Fonthill Library, updating the Official Plan, establishing more Community Safety Zones, and revising the corporate engineering standards. I believe all members of council are looking forward to this discussion as the ideal opportunity to fine-tune the last half of our term of office.