The candidates for the Municipality of LaVallee recently shared their visions with me regarding the upcoming election and the four-year term during which the elected council will work diligently to make our municipality the best it can be.
Election Day is Monday, Oct. 26. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Municipal Office.
Advance polls will be open Saturday, Oct. 17, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Municipal Office.
Here’s the question I asked all candidates (we hadn’t heard back from Ken Badiuk by press time, so we will have to catch up with him later):
What do you see as the top priority for the Municipality of La Vallee during the next term of council and why?
Jim Belluz, candidate for reeve
With the increase in traffic on our roads, we need to increase our maintenance of this important and basic infrastructure asset. It begins with the removal of trees on the road allowance, both for safety and better visibility for our residents, and then ditching to allow the roadbed to shed water, thus drying it out sooner and improving the stability of the shoulders.
Next is to increase the gravel application on roads; it’s hard to have our road staff trying to grade and maintain when there is nothing to work with. Dust control with calcium is a must on fresh gravel; it prevents all the small fines from blowing away and leaving rocks, plus it releases all houses close to these roads from dealing with the enormous amount of dust that is unacceptable.
Lucille MacDonald, incumbent candidate for reeve
I believe that long-term planning is the top priority for the next council.
To take advantage of opportunities and grants, we need to have our plans ready. Ensuring that our municipality develops to meet the changing needs of the population is essential.
Municipal councils tend to be made up of retirees with more free time than those still working and raising families. We need to find ways to engage that age group for municipal planning.
Economic development is about making a community a great place to live, work and play. We need to work with the rest of the district to ensure that we can attract the necessary workers and service providers, as we share many of the same services such as health care.
Brendan Hyatt, incumbent candidate for council
La Vallee Township is my home. It is where multiple generations of my immediate and extended family have put down their roots. It is with that personal connection, and with a strong belief in the future of our community, that I believe our priority for the upcoming term of council must be to enhance the quality of life of our residents while building a safe, sustainable, prosperous and vibrant future for La Vallee.
We offer rural living at its finest, with access to agriculture, hunting, fishing, natural spaces and ample land for businesses to begin, grow and expand. Our municipality encompasses almost 233 square kilometres, yet we are home to approximately 800 residents. Many of our residents have lived here their entire lives and have raised their families in this community. We should be encouraging our youth to come home, while also creating opportunities that allow our seniors to age in place.
As councillors, our responsibility is to ensure that we not only maintain the quality of life our residents value but also put our official plan into action in ways that enhance that quality of life. Achieving this requires thoughtful planning, collaboration and fulsome consultation with residents, local stakeholders and multiple levels of government. We need to listen, identify opportunities and then turn those discussions into practical action.
During my recent term on council, we provided opportunities for residents to come together through our seniors committee and youth engagement sessions. We have continued to maintain our playgrounds and ball fields and have discussed ways to protect the natural features that make La Vallee special. Protecting our water table and wetlands is particularly important as we consider the possibility of a future that may be drier and experience more frequent climate-related events.
We also need to continue exploring opportunities identified in our Official Plan, including providing, where feasible, public access to the Rainy River while meeting all Ministry conditions for development. We have property that could potentially help us achieve this goal while also supporting community gardens that promote locally grown and locally produced food and food products for our residents. These initiatives can contribute to recreation, community connection, local food security and the overall wellbeing of our residents.
Housing and population growth must also be part of our long-term vision. With an aging population, we need to look at ways to expand the settlement areas of our two villages, Devlin and La Vallee, to create opportunities for new homes and seek available funding for senior housing within our communities.
Both villages have space for responsible growth and offer an opportunity to make efficient use of existing and future infrastructure while allowing residents convenient access to community services and recreation facilities. Encouraging development in these areas can help us welcome new families, provide housing options for seniors and create opportunities for our young people to return home.
At the same time, we must take our responsibility as keepers of the public purse very seriously. Council must continually examine ways to control costs, keep spending in check and provide services as effectively and efficiently as possible. Residents are facing significant increases in the cost of everyday necessities, including food, fuel, construction materials and housing. Municipal government cannot control all of these pressures, but we can be mindful of the burden we place on our residents. Responsible financial management and careful consideration of mill rates and taxation must remain an important part of every decision we make.
Sustainability must also be considered as part of how we plan for La Vallee’s future. We should continue looking for practical opportunities to support energy conservation, protect air quality, maintain and expand green spaces, and preserve our wetlands and other natural assets. These efforts are not simply about responding to climate-related challenges today; they are about minimizing future impacts and ensuring that La Vallee remains a healthy and desirable place to live for the generations that follow us. Responsible environmental stewardship and sound financial planning can work together when we focus on practical, achievable solutions.
Ultimately, I believe our priority should be simple: enhance the lives of the people who call La Vallee home. That means maintaining the services and quality of life we value, creating opportunities for all our residents, supporting responsible growth and local business, protecting our natural environment, encouraging community connection and managing taxpayers’ dollars responsibly.
La Vallee has a strong foundation built by generations before us. Our responsibility is to build on that foundation thoughtfully, protect what makes our community special and create opportunities for the next generation. If we keep the well-being of our residents at the centre of our decisions, we can continue to make LaVallee a safe, healthy, affordable and prosperous place to call home.
Elaine Hughes, incumbent candidate for council
This will be my third term if elected. Council needs to work as a team to keep our community running smoothly, working towards improvements and the financial health of the community as a whole.
Government funding is being reduced, while levies we have no control over for policing, health unit, DRRSB services, education tax, as well as insurance and MPAC assessments, are increasing. My main priority is to budget wisely to be able to accommodate these expenses along with day-to-day maintenance and upkeep and upgrading of facilities and equipment.
We have been fortunate enough to keep our tax increase below three per cent for the last four years, and I would like to be able to see that continue.
Gary Esselink, candidate for council
An important aspect of council is to ensure that the taxpayer’s monies are spent properly on issues that are important and necessary to the community.
I have lived in the township of La Vallee my entire life. I have spent most of my adult years in both the dairy and beef industry and have served as a board member on several committees. I am currently a member of the La Vallee Fire Department, serving for over 20 years.
I believe that I can be an asset to council using my knowledge and experience for our community.
This is a wonderful community, and I would be honoured to serve on council.
Steve Loshaw, incumbent candidate for council
I believe ongoing maintenance and upgrades to our infrastructure is necessary in order that we do not fall behind and incur unnecessary costs.
Dan Rea, candidate for council
Taxes and rough roads are the two most important issues that people have. During my last term in office, we hired two good men and bought a new grader. Since then, the roads have been in excellent condition.
Everyone pays their fair share of taxes in our municipality except for the railroad. The pipeline pays $66,000 a year in taxes and the railroad pays $4,500 a year—the railroad has six miles of track plus a siding as well as three bridges, with a rough estimate of $5-6 million dollars. The railroad should pay its fair share of taxes. On voting day, remember Dan Rea!
