2022 Councilor Campaign Promises/Policies
- Eliminate all Town building permit fees (except for new homes) for residents’ decks, pools, additions, etc. This will increase the applications and inspections for these permits which are supposed to be for health and safety reasons, not as a cash cow revenue stream.
- Prune the bottom of all town trees where new “baby” trees grow up through the soil around the main tree trunk.
- Ensure all councillors return all inquiries and/or questions from their ward residents in a timely manner (within 12 hours) or face severe financial consequences from my Councilor office.
- Once per week at Town Hall, there will be a random and/or scheduled for the public, flash mob of local Oakville singers and musicians who will perform one song within Town Hall. Each event will be filmed/recorded for weekly distribution on all social media platforms with credits given to all musicians. All performers will be paid for their performance participation.
- Immediate implementation of full online secure voting in Oakville for all general elections and all by-elections and any referendums.
- Immediate consultation with all residents to build a one-time limited edition 5-year downtown Oakville casino.
- The casino to be completely dismantled after 5 years of use unless there is a confirmed acceptance of a majority of Oakville residents through an online survey or a referendum. All (100%) net profits from the casino to go towards Town programs, existing and new ones that come into fruition. Depending on the revenue into the Town’s treasury, funds can be used for any capital expenditures or to pay off any Town debts. The casino to be built with full entertainment venues for all patrons.
- Immediate cancellation of all Council pre-screening of all Integrity Commissioner complaints. The Integrity Commissioner to be immediately reinstated on a full-time basis. All complaints to go directly to the Commissioner who will also resume all the duties and responsibilities that came with the position.
- The immediate implementation of the Kerr Street grade separation overpass/underpass to be constructed and completed within a maximum of 10 months from start to finish. Town of Oakville to develop this project with help from Builders of new homes in Oakville with the majority of the hard costs to be borne by the new home Developers.
- No more manipulating and bully councillors into voting unanimously at Council Chambers, fully encourage and allow complete free votes from all councillors. Allow and support free and open debate.
- Expand the town infrastructure. Remove and repair/replace program to include a weekly inspection of all hydro transformers, street lamps, fire hydrants, catch basins, sewer grates, town owned fencing, road mediums and more. Implement and repair/replace program that leaves no town capital asset in a state of disrepair at any time.
- Implement an immediate task force to look into the issue related to fluoride in our drinking water. Interview medical professionals including many local Oakville dentists and all residents of Oakville for their professional and personal consultations surrounding the removal of fluoride from our drinking water in Oakville. This task force will produce a report to Council within one month. Based on the report’s conclusions, Council will immediately decide on whether to keep or remove fluoride in our town’s drinking water.
- The immediate implementation of hiring additional Oakville building inspectors to double the number we have now in active service.
- The immediate implementation of an Oakville by-law that will allow all Oakville homeowners the ability to build an approved coach/garden house/home in their backyards. Building permits (free) are still required as are inspections and approved architectural drawings.
- The immediate implementation of a 2-year wage freeze for the Mayor and all Councillors and the elimination of all expense accounts for the Mayor and Councillors. The only exception is for emergency situations that can be expensed. Currently, Burton brags how he and most of his Councillors do not fully use their expense accounts. Therefore, in my new administration, expense accounts will be terminated to save tax dollars.
- The immediate implementation of converting Mayor Burton’s current office that was remodelled for $250,000 at taxpayer expense into a boardroom that can be used by all residents of Oakville for business meetings and business events. As the new Mayor, I will only require an 11 foot by 11 foot room for my office. I will also be working extensively outside the office environment within our Oakville communities to help coordinate, supervise, and implement our government’s policies and laws. I will be very active in Oakville field work.
- The immediate implementation of a new registered nurse (RN) municipal supplement. For all RN’s working in Oakville in our hospital, walk-in clinics, doctors’ offices, we will be paying a special non-burn-out supplement to them in accordance with the Emergency Services Advisory Committee and the College of Family Physicians. We will also as a municipality immediately begin building new long term care facilities owned and operated by the Town of Oakville. These LTC’s will replace the more than enough recreation centres we have in existence already and no additional rec centres will be constructed for the next 5 years. Additionally, we will construct 10 brand new small scale urgent care centres all within Oakville and owned and operated by the Town of Oakville.
- The immediate implementation of cancelling all paid parking on streets in downtown Oakville. All parking meters will be removed. The paid parking lots will remain and continue to be available. Retail stores will offer free parking to all their customers 24/7.
- The immediate implementation of a third party independent internal financial audit of all Town of Oakville budgets from 2006 to 2022. The audit will include all departments and all revenues and expenses.
- The immediate implementation of establishing a permanent Office of Deputy Mayor, appointed by the Mayor with the majority of Council’s approval. The Deputy Mayor to have separate authority and responsibilities.
- The immediate implementation of a program that oversees our local Oakville buses picking up all passengers on all routes within a 10 minute wait period. No more waiting for up to 50 minutes to be picked up at stops. Currently and for many past years, Oakville Transit has been losing up to $20 million per year. That needs to stop. We will implement an immediate plan of action that will keep all 90 buses within Oakville’s ownership, but we will also investigate with a secured deadline of 2 months towards finding a solution to bring Oakville Transit to at least a break even point. One solution would be to privatize each bus with a separate company owning and operating each bus. They will compete with each other for the service of the customers. There will still be some limited municipal government oversight primarily for health and safety aspects. The current unionized workers, especially the bus drivers, will be offered to stay at their current jobs at current pay scales for a minimum of one year after privatization.
- Immediately implement a negotiated contract with the (Spanish) ownership of Highway 407 for an Oakville Resident Discount Program for registered Oakville vehicle owners to use the 407 Highway for both personal and business trips.
Gordon is here for all residents 24/7 and is bringing expedited if not immediate assistance and solutions for any and all Oakville issues, no matter how small or large.