Governance, Transparency and Accountability

A letter to my friends and neighbours

My Friends,

I believe our community is at a crossroads. We have watched the growth in the numbers of newcomers who have chosen this as their place to settle, with pride. We have watched our township grow in the services and businesses we have, and in the skills and capacity of our township administration.

When a community is growing and changing this quickly, the residents have important choices to make. I know; I have watched it in the several communities I have been a part of the leadership in. How fast do we want to grow? How dense do we want new development on our rivers and lakes to be? What new roads and services will we need? Can we pay for them?

For me the best way to approach this is to look to the horizon and say, “What do we want Greater Madawaska to look like five and ten years from now?” To set a shared vision for what we want this jewel of nature and wilderness that is ours to become.

That’s why I decided to run for Mayor. I care about that future, and I want to make a contribution to building it.

The township has made some troubling decisions in the past few years. We have borrowed a lot of money, on a still small foundation of assets. We have let taxes climb by 26%. Where are they going in the next few years? We seem to have let conflicts that should have been easy to resolve grow into huge expenses with no end in sight.

I hope you will join me in becoming part of a township-wide discussion about these and the many other challenges we face.

Please check in on my website, billbeacham.ca, if you’d like to talk. I’d be delighted to meet you and have a chat.

Below I have set out some of my thoughts and concerns in the first of several policy and campaign messages. Please let me know what you think.

Bill Beacham Candidate for Mayor, Township of Greater Madawaska

Governance, Transparency and Accountability

Greater Madawaska is experiencing an unprecedented interest in new development. Growth brings opportunity, but it also brings responsibility. Every new subdivision, business and home affects our roads, fire protection, waste management, recreation, municipal services and our environment.

At the same time, many residents are struggling with rising costs. Families, seniors and young people deserve a municipal government that delivers for them, and one that respects every tax dollar.

I believe Greater Madawaska needs experienced, thoughtful leadership that balances growth with careful financial management, that consults with you about big decisions and tries to build bridges over the issues that we have not got a consensus on, yet.

I will be accountable to you, and no one else. No developers or special interest groups will get special access to the Mayor.

I have succeeded as a leader in many different roles for one reason: serious commitment to collaboration and consensus building.

Council cannot always agree on everything. But it is essential that every voice is heard in respectful and comprehensive discussion and debate, before decisions are taken. And that those debates are in public, and reported on online for everyone to see.

The Mayor is the leader of the township and the Council. But the Mayor also has one vote, and is one of five decision makers.

My experience tells me we have work to do on keeping the township’s voters informed, as quickly as possible, on all our decisions, and potential decisions. Some of you have shared with me your frustration at getting timely reports.

I believe that surveys, Zoom calls, townhalls, and detailed online reports all have a role to play in ensuring that you feel pleased with the work the Council and the township are doing, and that you have been consulted about those choices.

We need to improve on communication and transparency. If elected I will implement and deliver “The Mayor’s Quarterly Report”, live and on social media.

There is currently no place for you to come express your views with the Mayor directly and in private. We need to re-establish an “Office of The Mayor” at the Township Office.

As your Mayor I would maintain publicized office hours there and in the Griffith Community Centre.

On urgent and important matters I will visit the Dacre and Hurds Lake Communities, at their invitation, or encourage them to visit the Office of the Mayor at the Township Offices.

As a believer in the power of consultation and shared expertise, I will return to former Councils’ practice of the creation of Citizen’s Advisory Committees to assist us in our work.

We are blessed with a wealth of talent and residents experienced across an array of subjects and skills. Let’s ask them to join us.