Whitby Elelction 2010 - My Opinion with some Facts thrown in!

Hi Folks,



It's been a while.



Do you believe Voting Day is only a short period away? Oct 25th we - yes you and I - have a real choice to make this election for Mayor.



There are three candidates, but only two options. We can have life long politicians with a combined 45 years or we can have the one clear choice, a businessman that makes sense.



We have two politicians; one that served as Mayor for nine years, and through his acquisition of Cullen Park has cost tax payers millions, and one that has served for four years and wants to cost the tax payers a million dollars a year by building a unnecessary performing arts center.



On other hand, we have a businessman vying for the position of CEO (Mayor) of Whitby who has been fiscally responsible through his many business ventures and has met payroll deadlines for the past 25 years. All he has done for the community is raise just over a million dollars for local charities through his business at Class Act Dinner Theatre, and has sat on numerous non-profit boards. He is someone that will actually do what he says he will do. He will “Open Whitby for Business”.



The Choice is Pretty Clear!!!!!!


I keep hearing Marcel Brunelle talk about there is no "I" in team. Well sir I have to respectfully disagree! A true leader will bring new ideas to the table and sell his ideas to others. A true leader stands out from the crowd, and gets others to work together with them. Then and only then will you have a Team! Ideology of the 80's and 90's does not work today!



I was at the debate in Brooklin Tuesday evening and Marcel and Pat's closing statements affected me, as I am the sign chair for the Rocky Varcoe campaign team and to accuse me or any member of my team of vandalism of signs is unacceptable. I am a man of honesty, integrity and moral values. I, nor any member of my team would ever touch a sign that I have not had permission to fix: that's right fix, not destroy!



I approached Marcel questioning him on his closing statements during the Brooklin Debate, where he put blame for signs being damaged and destroyed squarely on my team’s shoulders. When I confronted him, he said “I did not mean you Scott, I know you would not do anything like this”, but he did blame my team. Well sir, my team is made up of me and people I trust and will back to the wall. Your comment to me after; I found unacceptable from someone vying to be the Mayor, to tell a constituent to F-off is not going to get you many votes. Furthermore, Mr. Brunelle, you stated at the last debate that if you sling mud in peoples face it will come back and hit you (well you said it wrong but we understood it). I want to remind you that your conversation at the Trailor Park at 1010 Dundas St has definitely come back to hit you square in the face with the rumors you are spreading about Mayor Candidate Rocky Varcoe. So much for integrity....


As for Pat Perkins, who I have to say serves herself well and not others, she wants to bring to us a tax burden of close to one million dollars a year with her performing arts center. This is just wrong. As Rocky has stated we must spend within our means.



This is the same lady who changed her tune about development donations after raking Marcel Brunell through the coals in the last Municipal election, deciding it was OK once she started receiving them, and who called me up about a letter to the editor I wrote about this practice. Without reading the article (http://durhamregion.com/article/118274)and relying only on the comments of others who read it, she called my house to question me on the letter. To cut to the chase she ended the conversation rudely by asking "who are you trying to impress?". Ladies and gentlemen I am not the only person she has ever done this to, this is just not the way a Mayor should handle a taxpayer of Whitby. And when you watch the debate on the following night (Friday, October 15th at 1:30pm), you will see a very angry lady! It's because someone is challenging her with real questions and ideas.



True leadership is what we need and there is only one clear choice on Oct 25th, Vote Rocky Varcoe.



I must remind people this is the same lady that did not send representation from the Town to possibly help not close schools in centre ward. These schools included Palmerston, RA Sennett, Leslie McFarland and FM Heard, representation from the Town of Whitby, zero, zilch, nothing. Why becuase the current Mayer decided against it on her own. http://ddsb.durham.edu.on.ca/html/Accomodation_Plan_Construct_Updates/ARC_Whitby_2008/ARC_Information_Binder/Letter_to_Mayor_Perkins_4d.pdf



I would also like to voice my opinion and it is only my opinion on Regional Council.



Of all the candidates running for this position there is only one clear cut choice and that would Don Mitchell. He has proven time and again he weighs all his options and votes accordingly to his constituents. He will always return calls regardless if it is the answer you are looking for. So my number one choice for Regional Council has to go to Don Mitchell.



Second lets look at experience. First off I didn't think I would this year support Joe Drumm, but he does say it like it is. So vote number two would go to Joe Drumm.



My Third choice was a toss up, but I am willing to give Lorne Coe a look for the next four years. He has the experience and calmness to deal with most issues. I think Dave Sansom will push him but it will be Lorne that polls through. Linda Lyons might press too, but probably not enough to make it.



But one thing is certain. I just can't phatham the thought of someone (Dolstra) who left meetings early as School Board Trustee on regular basis according to his report card from metroland. I wonder if he's elected if he will stay for a full meeting of council. http://durhamregion.com/article/156803

This guy always takes credit for things that had nothing to do with him. The high school he brags about opening was opened in 2004, but the election the year before was November 2003. The shovel was in the ground well before that. He didn't bring us the High School, he was elected while it was being built. Six new public schools is correct, but it took the closing of four in centre ward to achieve those six. That means three new public schools in Whitby. Centre Ward minus three.



On to Centre Ward you have two choices really. You have the businessman or Shirley Scott. I am leaning towards Shirley Scott. We may have had our differences over the years but we always seemed to work things out in the end. I can honestly say I know Bill Caukwell (he does live across the street from me) and he would get my second choice. As for Michael Emm, in my opinion he does not work well with others and would be a disruption on council.



In East ward I can see this coming down to a good race between two worthy opponents, Ken Montague and Michael O'Hare...toughest choice of the night! I am leaning towards Ken, but it's really a toss up as both candidates have shown the ability to work hard throughout this campaign.



School Board Trustee (Public), even though I have a differnent idea regarding school boards, I would have to tilt my hat to Kim Zeppieri and Ron Grandy. It's not often you get an endorsment from a former principle and when the endorsment is from former Anderson Principle Mr. Morrison it speaks volumes about the character of this individual. Ron Grandy is the other School Board Trustee Candidate that I would endorse. I have sat on many committee's with Ron and he gives his all at whatever he does.



My West ward pick is Liz Roy. She always demonstates her abilities and stengths when dealing with all issues. I may not see eye to eye but I know what's good for Whitby Council.

I have been asked to comment on North Ward and about my choice. It was a tough decision between John Shaver and Tracy Hanson and Sue Pitchforth. But through knocking on doors and listening to residents of North Ward Tracy Hanson seems to be the person that most feel has a good understanding of the North. This is going to be one of tightest races, but listening to all three I have to lean towards Tracy. That again is just my Opinion.


I know these are only my personal choices for the following positions but these people have continually answered the questions with real answers, not bull:

My choices:

Mayor - Rocky Varcoe

Regional Councillor - Joe Drumm, Don Mitchell, Lorne Coe(Substitute Dave Sansom for Joe if you must)

North Ward - Tracy Hanson

West Ward - Liz Roy

East Ward - Ken Montague

Centre Ward - Shirley Scott (If not Shirley then Bill Caukwell)

Durham District School Board - Kim Zeppieri, Ron Grandy


If you have any comments and would like your comment posted please include your name, a call back number to verify and your comments.

Scott Templeton