Mayor Victor Fedeli outlined version 2.0 of his 2020 vision with members of various community interest groups at his campaign office Tuesday.
Fedeli first launched part one of the 20/20 Vision plan three years ago and is now ready to move on with part two, which focuses on developing the city’s high tech sector.
The group seemed receptive to the plan, however, Fedeli admitted he took a gamble bringing the group together for feedback as they could have easily disapproved of the strategy in a very public setting.
Joining Fedeli at the table were a diverse group of individuals that included: Rob Squirrell, Stroma Consulting; Mark King, President Chamber of Commerce; Terry O’Connor, North Bay Labour Council; Arif Majeed, PEP; Peggy Walsh, Craig Nipissing Environmental Watch; Jenn Galan, YEP - NECO; and Bruce Knox, Social Planning Council.
“It certainly was an incredible risk, very risky to bring together 7 or 8 people out here who I don’t know what they’re going to say about it, but I’m that confident that this document has been crafted with great consultation with all of the groups around this city over the last three years.”
Fedeli says one contributing factor for version 2.0 being well received is that the plan was not pulled out of the air. It was devised through community consultation including events like the Mayor’s Boxing Day Think Tank and the 'Brown Bag with the Mayor' the first Thursday of every month.
“I was very confident that I could bring those seven people and say, You know what, you tell the media anything you want,” states Fedeli.
“This is the plan where I want to see this city go in the next four years and I’m very confident. I think of what I can see so far, it was well received by environment, by youth, by high tech, chamber, labour, and I think it was well received by all groups.”
Fedeli also made several public promises to the group including a promise to bring three high-tech firms to the Bay within four years, to build a recycling centre, refurbish city transit and develop the Waterfront.
“I promise we’re going to continue to grow the tax base not tax rate,” he told the group.
“I promise to never ever let infrastructure fall apart again. Our roads look like hell … we’ve done something about that.”
The incumbent also told the group, when it comes to social services he believes that portfolio should be in the province’s hands.
With one thousand children living in homes earning under ten thousand dollars a year, Fedeli acknowledged that child poverty in the city is a very real issue. He promised not to turn a blind eye, that if elected, he will implement a results-driven task force to face the issue head on. A promise that was well received by Bruce Knox past Chair of the Social Planning Council.
“My hope is that the Social Planning Council would become the task force for child poverty. We do have a plan that we would like to see implemented,” says Knox.
“A thousand kids living in situations no one should have to live in, and we can do something about it. There are people that really want to, the problem is that they need a platform with which to do their part. Nobody really wants to lead it but there are an awful lot of people in the community that would love to be involved in doing whatever work they could to alleviate this. I think it is the biggest problem that we have.”
Terry O'Connor with the North Bay and District Labour Council told Fedeli that the recent 5-year agreement signed with city employees demonstrates confidence.
Fedeli says council’s record is what will put him back in the Mayor’s chair for a second term.
“We did two things; we restored hope and we restored solvency,”
“When we restored hope it allowed for record breaking building. 110 houses last year, 97 houses the year before, those are unprecedented numbers,” says Fedeli.
“Moody’s agrees with our debt plan, whether other people are playing politics or just confused I don’t know but our debt is 35.8 million dollars, that’s what it is today.”
