Three candidates in election race
for Scugog's Ward 4 seat
by Blake Wolfe/The Scugog Standard

Ward 4 is the site of the first three-way election race in Scugog Township, following declarations for the seat by two more candidates in the past week.

Last Friday (July 2), Blackstock resident David Nicholishen announced his candidacy, followed by Wilma Wotten, who declared on Tuesday (July 6). These two candidates join Tim Hales, who declared late last month, in the election race for the Ward 4 seat. The seat is currently held by Councillor Donovan Smith, who is running for Regional Councillor against fellow Ward 2 Councillor Bobbie Drew. The three Ward 4 nominees are all first-time municipal election candidates.

“I think it’s the right time and the right place to get involved (in local government),” said Mr. Nicholishen - a former Port Perry Mojacks coach who has lived in Blackstock for three of his many years living throughout Scugog - of his decision to run for office. “As an outsider, anyone can make criticisms, but a time comes when you want to get involved.”

Describing his approach to local government as “striking a balance” between the needs of Ward 4 residents and the township at large, Mr. Nicholishen said that he sees rural road maintenance and Scugog’s future growth - tied to water and sewage capacity as well as collection of development charges - as among the main issues affecting the township in the foreseeable future.

He also said that the current council’s work in revitalizing Port Perry’s waterfront has helped to bring back the feel of a “small-town lakefront community” to the area, describing it as a welcome change from the commercial development that characterized the Water St. and Scugog St. corridors over recent years. He added that he hopes to see the baseball diamonds and Old Mill building remain as waterfront fixtures.

As for Ms. Wotten, “this will be a natural continuation of my volunteerism within the community,” she said of her declaration, adding that the time was right for a political run.

A long-time resident of Ward 4 and a member of several community organizations including Cartwright Sports and Recreation, Ms. Wotten said that road maintenance and recently proposed changes to regulations governing development along shoreline areas in Scugog are among the biggest issues she sees affecting the township.

“That’s an awful lot of lakeshore to be affected,” she said.

Mr Hales said of his decision to run for the Ward 4 seat that, “the township is definitely calling for a change and, in municipal politics, if you don’t like what’s happening, you do it yourself.”

Like the other candidates, Mr. Hales also listed roads as a top priority, but said that the township needs to better prioritize which roadways see reconstruction first.

Mr. Hales also said that the township’s rural areas need to finally see reliable high-speed Internet access and that the township needs to do more to draw more large business to the community.

“Wal-Mart will bring new jobs, but they’re not good ones - just minimum wage,” said Mr. Hales.

He added that the current council needs to be more careful with spending, such as putting more funds into expanding water and sewer servicing instead of projects like Port Perry’s waterfront revitalization.