PAUL RYAN (2014 election)

Greetings. I was born and raised in Fort Frances. My wife, Gay, and I have been married 44 years and we are parents to married adult daughters.
We also have four grandsons.
I had a 35-year career with the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, supervising highway, infrastructure, and bridge construction projects. My employment with the province resulted in my working away from Fort Frances most of the time.
In my retirement, I decided to commit my time giving back to my community and offering my career experience.
During my past eight years on town council, I am proud of the work we have done creating a plan that repairs infrastructure, digging down to aging water and sewer piping and building new roads above—all the while keeping tax increases at or near the inflation rate and maintaining sewer and water services and rates at the same level.
As a result of a council-approved infiltration study of the town’s sewer infrastructure, as well as producing an asset management plan, we know we have 40 km of watermains that are in critical condition.
My past experience in engineering gives me the background and experience to understand how to oversee major infrastructure projects.
With a dominant major industry creating a significant town budget shortfall, the easy way out on the shortfall is to raise taxes—and I am not willing to do so. We just can’t take that short cut.
The result would be an endless stream of tax-and-spend solutions that will find us unable to attract new industry or invite new families to build in our community.
Instead, I propose that we continue on the steady course of thoughtful attrition and streamlining of operations. But more importantly, our solution is in growth.
That means continuing to work with the paper mill owner and potential new owners to get people successfully back to work, and get the tax assessment of the mill where it needs to be to support our many community services.
Economic development is necessary to get Fort Frances back on track.
The present council is working on a plan that builds on the community’s assets. We have the lowest electrical energy rates in Ontario, easy access to the U.S. markets, and industrial land at affordable rates.
We, as a council and administration, are committed to maximizing every opportunity related to the new mining in our area and the forest industry.
If elected, I will continue to dedicate myself to deliver the best to the citizens of Fort Frances and I will continue to face all the challenges of council with an open mind.
My ultimate goal is to help resolve the many issues that face the Town of Fort Frances at this time.
I thank all citizens for their support in the past and humbly ask or support in the future.