Why did you decide to run for councillor?
I am running for a second term because Council has launched several initiatives during our last term that I would like to see through to completion. I’d also like to initiate other projects related to my platform priorities. Visit my website for further details
Being a City Councillor is first and foremost an opportunity for public service. During my first term on council I have enjoyed working with residents throughout Ward 9 on a range of exciting community projects. I was also able to help many individual residents in their dealings with the municipality. Through all of this I have learned a great deal, and hope to have the opportunity to apply that knowledge in the next term to accomplish even more, working for and with the citizens of Greater Sudbury.
What innovative projects would enhance life in your community?
Elgin Greenway in Downtown Sudbury
More pedestrian & cycling infrastructure
If you received a $1 million grant to use for your city any way you wanted, what would you do with it?
I’d invest it in the Elgin Greenway project.
What do you think are the greatest challenges your city faces?
Short answer: Old roads, pipes, buildings and vehicles.
We need to continue to address our infrastructure investment shortfall. We have to repair or replace aging infrastructure, and that will require serious investments of time, energy and dollars. We have several options, including raising taxes, reducing the level of services we provide, continuing to work on reducing inefficiencies and increasing the number of people sharing the cost of running the city.
Long-term success will require efforts in all four areas: we need to regularly review our service levels and how we deliver them; we need to support the growth of existing Sudbury businesses while enticing new business and talent to invest here; and we need to apply moderate tax increases as necessary to keep the city moving forward.
The ongoing balancing of services and expenditures takes considered effort. To grow our economy, we must make investments and offer incentives in the right areas at the right time in an effort to create an environment that will attract and keep businesses and jobs here. A growing economy, along with moderate tax increases and adjusted service levels and/or more efficient delivery, enables us to chip away at fixing roads, replacing pipes and city-owned vehicles, and renovating or replacing buildings past their best-before date.
Other than the official ways of communicating (minutes, municipal notes), how else will you reach out to your constituents to involve them in the decision making process?
Residents of Ward 9 have 24/7 access to me via email, phone and social media.
What is your favourite thing to do in your city?
Ride my bike & visit Kivi Park and I can do both at the same time The other thing I very much enjoy is swimming, canoeing, rowing on our fresh water lakes.
What do you cherish most about your community?
Our City of Lakes: All 330 of them.
Where can people find you?
Deb@debmcintosh.ca
705-918-1155
FB: Deb McIntosh – Sudbury
Twitter: @sudburydeb
