FCM speech

It was a great weekend at FCM and I am humbled by the support I have recieved.  Here is my speech I gave that morning to the delegates.

Good Morning Everyone, Bienevue

I am Clark Somerville, a Local and Regional Councillor for Halton Region, and I am a asking for your vote for 3^rd Vice President. 

I share your passion for strong local government.  I believe that municipalities are the true keepers of democracy in Canada as we ARE the order of government closest to the people. We listen, we work together and we respond.  But we can’t do it alone.

My Council role, like being 3^rd Vice President, requires balance. I deal with issues like poverty reduction, housing, public transit as well as the vitality and sustainability of our agricultural communities.  I deal with places that have high as well as no growth. I am someone who will meet YOU on the level.

I am willing to learn to improve myself and serve you.

We don’t know what the next 5 years will bring, but I feel I have the VISION to lead us as we move forward. I AM committed to FCM and to serving you and your communities.

Increasingly a rural /urban divide is being felt and we must remember that all of us have a tremendous amount to contribute to the agenda and WE AS AN ORGANISATION must strive to reach that,  we need to build bridges, not of steel and concrete, but of understanding between our large urban centers and our smallest rural areas. 

We need to find ways to keep OUR members engaged through  innovative ideas like  webstreamed meetings,  and pooling travel rewards programs to assist smaller communities in attending.  Let’s have the discussion.

We have made great strides with the Federal government but we can’t rest on our laurels.  We need to advance OUR municipal agenda and lay the ground work to build 22^nd century Canada.

Infrastructure means different things to different people.  Transit is not just roads but includes active transportation and public transit.  It must include our hospitals, recreational, senior and youth centres and a host of other projects we fund off our property tax base.  We need to make sure that ALL infrastructure is discussed.

We need to get aggressive on items that may be falling behind. 

We all know we need a better financial deal.

We need to enhance our partnership on trade issues as ALL trade and economic growth in Canada begins on Main Street.  We ARE the front line.

Canada is only as healthy as our cities, towns, regions and rural areas.

We must take EVERY opportunity to remind the Federal government of our needs. 

Together let’s make our voices heard.    Together, elect the candidate with vision, passion and commitment to advance your needs as your future President.  Together elect Clark Somerville as your 3^rd Vice President.

Je vous demande d’élire Clark Somerville pour le TROI-ZI-M  vice-président de la FCM.

Remember Click on Clark 

Clique Sur Clark

I ask for your vote.

Why I am running for FCM 3rd VP

I’m Clark Somerville a Local/Regional Councillor for the Town of Halton Hills and Halton Region. I’m also a candidate for 3^rd Vice President of FCM.

I have served on the Board of Directors and the Ontario Caucus of FCM for the last 4 years on various committees.  I am currently the Vice Chair of the Rural Forum and have served as the Chair of the Housing Subcommittee and Vice Chair of the Social Economic Development Committee.  I have actively participated in the annual Advocacy Days and other FCM events, such as the Sustainable Communities conference.

All of us who run for municipal government have a passion to serve our constituents, to make our communities better and to help plan and guide them into the future.  I share that passion.  We know we need to collaborate, build consensus and listen to our citizens.  We need to be willing to adapt to, and  listen and learn as new items come forward.  The one constant we know, is change.

I feel my background provides me with a unique perspective and balance to represent you as 3^rd Vice President.  My community, while on the edge of the Greater Toronto Area, is both urban and rural.  I see daily the challenges and conflicts that happen as our cities and towns grow and the pressures that it places on our rural and agricultural communities.  As Chair of the Halton Health and Social Services Committee, I see the need for affordable housing and other social programs that assist those in our communities who may be on the lowest spoke of life’s wheel. 

All of us are facing challenges with our infrastructure deficits and tightening budgets. We need to ensure that when we talk about building much needed infrastructure, that it’s not only roads and bridges but also the social infrastructure our communities need.

Over the last few years FCM has made tremendous gains with the Federal Government and we need to capitalize on this and ensure that our voices continue to be heard.  We need to listen to the concerns of our communities and act on them. 

It’s important that all FCM members are able to participate and we must explore innovative ways to engage them.

Municipalities have a role to play in the economic development and the strength of our nation.  Whether it is manufacturing, agricultural, resource based, or tourism, municipalities must be recognised for the role they play in building our nation.  All trade travels on Main Street and we should be treated as partners.

FCM is a dynamic organisation and its 3^rd Vice President should be someone who will work and help advance our agenda.  FCM needs someone who will work to bridge the rural/urban divide that is felt increasingly as Canada grows.  It needs someone with a vision and passion for municipalities.

On June 2^nd Vote Clark Somerville for 3^rd VP of FCM.

Please contact me if you have any questions or comments.  My email is clarks@haltonhills.ca or phone at 905-703-6388.  Visit clarksomerville.com

MSB NOT FOR SALE!

It is too bad that over the last 10 years the citizens of Acton and all of Halton Hills have had to stand up and fight to retain THEIR school field. While the overwhelming majority understood the fundamental wrongness of the Town having to buy land we had already paid for, there are always some who say don’t buy. Well frankly, I do not buy their argument.
The citizens of Acton paid for the land in the late 1950’s for both the Acton High School and the MZ Bennett school site. It was common at that time that the Town ran the schools and bought the land and assisted in the building. Only through the creation of the Halton County School board and later the Halton District School Board (HDSB) did the Town lose control of the lands. In fact we legally had to give the new School Boards all assets with the schools at no charge.
In early 2000 the HDSB decided to declare part of the MSB site as surplus to their needs. With the goal to sell it. As you can imagine the people of Acton were furious and quickly rallied around the site. Petitions were signed, signs posted and people proudly wore the MSB not for sale Buttons.

Our trustee at the time, Board Chair Ethel Gardiner understood the issue and immediately went to work to save the land. She spent many hours on the phone to the residents who had called and even reached out to make sure the Councillors knew what was being worked on. When a former Mayor suggested the Town buy it, she quickly agreed as to “Why, we all ready own it.” She spoke passionately to the Board as to how the High School site is undersized, how High School students use the MSB fields and how the earlier Board decision of joining the 2 schools was not to have an impact on the site. The Board listened to her and the impassioned arguments presented by former trustee Arlene Bruce and then regional Councillor Rick Bonnette. Three busloads of residents filled the chamber and all were ecstatic when the vote came and we had won. Or so we thought.

In January 2009 we found out that they were planning on selling it again. Unlike in 2000 we found out after the board had passed it. We also found out that both Halton Hills trustees supported it. Even more surprising was the Acton trustee professed to have no knowledge or memory of what had happened 9 years earlier.

All of the trustees tried to hide behind the skirt of the then Education Minister Wynne and the directive of the government. Mayor Bonnette asked her about MSB and she indicated that it was not government policy for them to sell off land like MSB. The School Board insisted it was.

On a cold family day in 2009, over 300 people gathered at a rally at the school site, young old, long time residents, new residents and representation from all wards in Halton Hills stood up and told the school board it was wrong. Over 5,000 people signed a petition and the MSB not for sale signs once again appeared in windows around town.
The people felt betrayed and were angry that this had happened again. One Senior told me “I hope it is settled this time as I am too old to fight again.” They were angry that an Acton trustee could say it was “not a big deal is we lost a trustee.”
Despite the assurances of a previous Chair and Board that had MSB being removed from the list, despite the widespread anger of the citizens and over 50% signing a petition opposing the sale. Despite the fact both Acton High School and MSB actively using the site, despite the fact that Acton is green belted and can’t easily add parkland due to provincial legislation. The school Board ploughed ahead and declared it surplus.

We saw a half-hearted effort to save it from the trustee who was supposed to represent Acton. The trustee who was elected to represent Georgetown said she was voting “For Georgetown” when she cast her vote. Where the hell did they think the money was going to come from?

After many months of negotiating last night the Town passed a bylaw to purchase the site, not the 2.64 acres originally offered but over 5 acres, with a licence agreement for 21 years for another portion of the site.

Mayor Bonnette and the whole Council have shown great leadership in purchasing the land but it was not easy. The over $1,000,000 we have to spend was not budgeted for and means we will have to shuffle priorities in future budgets.

But it does mean we have saved the school board from themselves.

This whole exercise of MSB and the fact the school board has shown to me that maybe the Board should not be trusted with public assets. Maybe the land and schools should be owned by the Region or the Town as we treat public land much better.

It also demonstrated to me that our trustees let us down. By not remembering such a lightening rod issue or not thinking people would be upset is wrong. By looking at only voting for your ward is not right. By saying you are acting in the interest of your constituents when you forced the town to spend tax dollars for public land is wrong.

The Board has allowed a public asset like Speyside school to rot. I know of people who asked about buying it. The school board sat silent. They will end up selling it for a lot less as a vacant lot then if they had sold it as a viable building. They stopped using it 20 years ago.

We have elections for the school Board in 4 weeks. Look very carefully at all the candidates. Ask them the questions. Make up your mind. I know I will not be supporting the incumbent who ran in my area the last time.