The Echo sent the following questions to all candidates running for a seat at the council table in Dysart et al.

The Questions:
1. Provide an introduction to yourself. (This could be about how you came to the area your hobbies and interests family life education accomplishments.)

2. What is the most important issue facing Dysart et al today? As a council member how would you address that issue?

3. Are there services or facilities you would like to see in Dysart et al that don’t already exist? If elected how would you go about making them a reality?

4.  Explain how climate change is impacting Dysart et al and what council can do to help mitigate its effects.

5. The chamber of commerce and local businesses have raised concerns that there are not enough young adults and young families choosing to live in the Highlands. This has led to shortages in some fields (skilled trades for example) and fewer children and youth in the community. What can council do to attract and retain young people?

The ballots will be going out in the mail this week. Election day is Oct. 22. For more information on voting contact the municipal office.
Next week we will feature the Q&A from Highlands East candidates.

1. I was born and raised in the Village of Haliburton. I attended school at Victoria Street School; Lakeview School and Haliburton County District High School. After finishing High School I joined the Ontario Provincial Police and after was stationed in Toronto. From there I was assigned to the Detachment near Grand Bend Ontario. After five years I had the opportunity to purchase Wallings Dairy in Haliburton where my wife Nancy (born in Minden) and our three children returned to. After 10 years owning/working the dairy I began working for the Municipality of Dysart et al in the Roads Dept. where I remained for 27 years. During that time I joined the Haliburton Fire Department (17 yrs) and eventually became the fire chief for five years.

2. The main issue facing Dysart et al today I believe is affordable housing and council would have to agree. Council would have to get in touch with the provincial government and the Minister of Housing to check to see if there are any grants available to deal with the situation.

3. a) High speed internet and cellphone service should be made available to all Dysart citizens at reasonable fees. At present my family and I live approx. 15 km west of the Village of Haliburton and we are unable to receive the Internet which is at present about 3 km down the road from us. To get the Internet at present we purchase Internet from a company which will service our home.
I believe that council should contact Bell to find an answer. How many more towers are needed and where?
b)  A better ball diamond and a splash pool are two items which people are requesting. Council should contact the local school system and see if it’s possible to use any of their facilities.
c) Also a pool has been talked about but the school has to be part of the package (so the students are able to use the pool) to make the pool feasible. I recently spoke with some people at the pool in Bracebridge. They advised me about the cost and the number of personnel it takes to operate the pool.

4. We don’t have any big industry in Dysart so I don’t think climate change has been very impactful as of yet. This summer has been warmer than usual but the visitors to Haliburton have loved it.
We just hope that this winter has the normal amount of snow so there is enough skiing and snowmobiling for the winter.

5. By working in trying to bring new industry into the municipality! Talk to people and find out their thoughts with regards to our municipality about new industry starting up in our municipality. Possibly the municipality can offer new industry property the municipality owns at a lower rate and by getting permits approved quicker.
Finally offer more attractive venues etc. and entertainment for the young people to do and enjoy. Possibly get the young people to submit suggestions (within reason) for our town to work with the youth.