Top 10 List of reasons to Vote on Oct 27th...Number 9 Public Safety

Your local government is responsible for public safety.  From making sure your  Police,Fire and paramedics have adequate resources to protect your community, to emergency planning and protecting your neighbours.

We all know that local government is responsible for making sure our roads and parks are safe. But some people forget the role we play in our emergency services.  

It is mandated by the Province on how we provide the services, but with Fire and Police, very little money, if any ever flows from the Province to pay for them.  They are paid for by you, the local taxpayer.The Province covers some of the Paramedics costs but not enough.  You still pay the majority.

Our Regional Police Services are governed by a Police Services Board that is independent of Council, but does have Council representatives on it. Council approves the budget that is passed by the Board and the board works closely with the Chief to set it.

All our Emergency Services work hard to keep our communities safe.  They spend countless hours promoting things you can do to make your home and neighbourhood safer.

In Halton we are part of a group that literally has the highest survival rate for people having Heart attacks.  We also work to increase the number yearly who have CPR and can be part of the chain of survival.

When you need to call the Police, Fire or Paramedics, they arrive as quickly and safely as possible.  They are ana ctive part of your community.

When you vote in a Municipal election, the Mayor and Councillors you elect work with all the groups to set the budget.  They approve master Plans that set out how the service will operate and also how it will grow.

We live in one of the Safest Regions in the Country.  We need to make sure that those we elect will keep it that way!

Remember VOTE in the upcoming Municipal elections.

Federation of Canadian Municipalities announces that Regional Councillor Somerville re-elected as Vice Chair of the Rural Forum

Press release from Halton Region on my re election as FCM Rural Forum Vice Chair

Release Date: Sep 10, 2012

The president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Karen Leibovici, has announced that Regional Councillor Clark Somerville of FCM’s Board of Directors has been re-elected as Vice Chair of the Rural Forum. The standing committee advises FCM’s 75-member Board of Directors on the national issues facing Canada’s rural communities.

“I am pleased to have Clark play a key role in our team, and I look forward to working together in the year ahead to advance the interest of local governments,” said FCM president Karen Leibovici.

“Clark has a passion for Rural Canada and has been a strong advocate for it. We have worked well together and I know, with our colleagues in the Rural Forum, we can tackle the challenges we will face in the next year,” added newly reelected Chair David Marit who is also the President of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is the national voice of Canada’s municipalities, speaking for almost 2000 cities and communities representing 90 per cent of Canada’s population. Its national Board is comprised of municipal leaders from across Canada, and meets quarterly to set policy priorities.

“I am truly honoured to have received support from my Rural Colleagues in my reelection. FCM always tries to have a rural lens on all our work and I look forward to trying to bring a Halton perspective to the national picture,” added Somerville. “The need for all our towns and cities to speak with one voice has never been stronger then what it is now. As Governments balance their books we have to make sure it is not on the backs of local municipal taxpayers”

Councillor Somerville has served as a Board member for FCM for 4 years. He is one of 11 elected to serve Ontario. In addition to the Rural Forum he also serves on the committees dealing with Infrastructure, Finance and Intergovernmental relations. He is also Chair of Halton Region’s Health and Social Services Committee.

“Advocating to promote and protect Halton’s rural communities is important to Halton Regional Council,” said Regional Chair Gary Carr. “The Citizens’ Priorities, Halton’ Region’s 2011-2014 Action Plan, contains several rural priorities and I am pleased that Councillor Somerville can continue to advance these issues in his role on the Rural Forum with FCM.”

FCM’s successful advocacy with the federal government has brought significant benefits to Halton Region over the past five years. From the GST refund to the permanent federal gas tax fund, and now the federal government’s new, long-term infrastructure plan to build the roads, bridges, water and transportation systems Canada needs to support its families, businesses, and national economy.

REGIONAL COUNCILLOR CLARK SOMERVILLE JOINS MUNICIPAL LEADERS FROM ACROSS CANADA TO MEET WITH FEDERAL COUNTERPARTS TO BUILD AND EXPAND PARTNERSHIP

(Halton Hills) - This past week Regional Councillor Clark Somerville joined more than a 100 other municipal leaders in Ottawa for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) annual meetings on Parliament Hill. FCM met with more than 100 Members of Parliament, including party leaders and cabinet ministers, to build practical partnership and protect core investments in Halton Hills and Halton Region as well as municipalities across Canada.
“As a local and regional Councillor as well as Halton Regions representative at FCM it is important that I present the challenges we are facing here,” said Somerville. “I am honoured to be asked by the President to sit on the Municipal Infrastructure Forum and the International Trade Working groups. Both groups will work closely with the Federal Government on these important issues. I thank Chair Carr and Mayor Bonnette for their continued support as well as the support I receive from all my Council colleagues and staff that allows me to work as a Board member with the FCM. Whether it is rural, housing, transit, policing or other issues I try to provide the Halton snapshot.”

The week’s most significant achievement was the launch of the Government of Canada’s new infrastructure planning process. The plan promises to stop the decline in our municipal infrastructure and build the roads, bridges, water and transit systems we need to support our families, businesses and economic growth.
In recent years, the federal government has worked with Halton Region and other municipalities to repair aging infrastructure, but 40 % of federal-municipal funding is set to expire by 2014. The new, long-term plan promised by the government will protect essential investments and reduce the burden on local property taxpayers in the years ahead.

The federal government laid out a clear timetable to take stock of recent investments in cities and communities, identify where investments need to be made in the future, and replace soon to expire programs with a new generation of long-term infrastructure investments.
"In the last few years, federal and municipal governments have worked more closely than ever to fight the economic crisis and rebuild Canada's aging roads, bridges, and water systems," said FCM President Berry Vrbanovic. "Together, we can tear down the silos that prevent us from serving taxpayers in the best way possible. Together, we can build a stronger, safer Canada."
Municipal leaders also received a report about FCM’s meeting this week with the Prime Minister. FCM representatives talked with the Prime Minister about how federal and municipal governments have worked together to fight the recession and how they can continue working together to keep Canada's economic foundations secure.
Municipal leaders also heard Liberal Leader Bob Rae and NDP leader Nicole Turmel discuss what their parties are doing to strengthen the economy, support communities, and protect property taxpayers from offloading by other governments.
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2 New Fire Hall Opens

Yesterday, the Town along with our Regional and Provincial partners opened not 1 but 2 new Fire stations. One of the stations house a new Halton Region EMS station.
The funding for the station was divided between Halton Hills (6.4 Million), the Province of Ontario (1.9M) and Halton Region (1.1M). Halton Hills Hydro provided funding for the Geothermal system.

Our Chief Brent Marshall acted as the MC and welcomed, Mayor Bonnette, Chair Carr, Ted Arnott MPP and almost all members of Council to this historic event. The Chief of Police, Deputy Chief, members of other Fire and EMS services and of course our retired and Life members of the Fire Department all were in attendence.


The new buildings replace 2 old buildings here in the Town and have our fire department positioned well to the future. The EMS building was in fact the old Fire station on Chapel Street. The Headquarters was the old public works building that the Fire Department moved into almost 30 years ago as a “temporary site”

The Headquarters station built in Georgetown South will give all residents a piece of mind as it is located in the heart of the future growth area in the Town. This station features a “Heritage Room” which has displays of Fire Department memorabilia.as well as a 1942 restored Fire Truck. As is the case of all Fire Departments, that history always plays an important part of the daily lives of all Firefighters. They always acknowledge those who bravely put their lives on the line before them. Firefighter Al Scott deserves credit for doing a lot of research on the Fire Department.

Both the buildings were built to a minimum LEEDS Silver designation using such energy saving features as the geothermal heating, rain water harvesting, recycled materials and construction standards.

One of the highlights of the day was when former Fire Fighter Jimmy Valentine was recognized for his 42 years with the Fire Department in Georgetown. He started with the Georgetown Fire Dept in 1938 and served until 1980. A lane from the rear of the Station has been named “Valentine Lane” in his honour. At 97 Mr Valentine is still active fixing small engines and lawnmowers.


The Chief, Deputy Chiefs and staff deserve credit for working so hard to keep this project on track and budget. We had issues along the way but we have 2 buildings that will serve our community for many years.. Our Fire and Emergency Services Committee Chaired by Councillor Moya Johnson did a tremendous job of working through the problems that came up during the building of 2 stations at the same time.


The public are invited to a Community Open House planned for Sunday Oct 3 2010 from 1 to 4 at the Maple Street Station. It will be the kickoff to Fire Prevention Week.