Harrington residents prepare for by-election

After less than one year in office, the Harrington council is once again asking residents to head to the polls and elect a councillor to represent their interests at town hall.

Councillor Robert Parkinson resigned earlier this year after it was revealed that he did not meet the provincial standards to be a councillor.

Four candidates have thrown their names into the race for council seat number five. An advance vote is being held at the Harrington Valley Community Centre on Sunday, July 11, between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The final vote will be held on Sunday, July 18, between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., at the Lost River Community Centre.

Residents who are already registered to vote by mail can do so, but must have their votes at town hall no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, July 16.

The candidates for council seat number five are:

William Horrocks

Horrocks is a retired meteorologist who worked for the federal government for over 38 years.

"A scientific background teaches us to have a more logical view of things and it teaches you to assimilate information quickly and well," he said. "I think we need a watchdog on council. In my opinion we have five councillors who seem to agree on everything that comes forward and we need some opposition that will represent more of what the people want."

Horrocks says he is in favour of creating a long-term development plan to repair the roads and encourage slow and careful residential and industrial growth that does not depend on huge investments by future generations.

"Our community has been stagnant in its growth for nearly 30 years. We have a large number of retired residents and few industries," he added. "We need major improvements to roads and infrastructure, but these changes can't be made overnight as it would put too much of a financial burden on the taxpayers.  We have a limited population and can't keep asking them to pay increasing amounts of money, as it puts too much burden on the population, especially those on a fixed income."

Sylvia Kalpakian Lindsay

Lindsay is a retired customs officer who worked in the civil service for 31 years. Lindsay has had a home in Harrington since 1989 and when she retired, she became a full-time resident.

Dedicated to community work, Lindsay is a volunteer at the Arundel library and says she would like to research the possibility of opening a library in Harrington.

"I'm a bit disgusted with what's going on with municipal expenditures and the way taxes are going up and down," she said. "I want to speak out for the people's interests and have an experience in politics."

Brenda Skoda

Skoda is a long-time resident of Harrington who bought a summer home in the municipality in 1986 and has been a full-time resident for the past six years.

Semi-retired from a career that involved catering, working in schools and for her husband's home-based business, Skoda now works part-time at the corner store in Harrington.

"I've lived here for a long time and feel that a small group of councillors have run the town for about 30 years and it needs change," she said. "The new council seems to be working well together and I'd like to see it continue."

As a councillor, Skoda says she would focus on reducing crime by increasing discourse with the Sûréte du Quebec and working with council to ensure developmental projects are slow to come and carefully planned.

"It's a beautiful community, but it has changed a lot with more crime and new developments in neighbouring communities. We need advancements, but I don't want the Harrington Valley destroyed. If we build, sell and subdivide, it will take away from it."

Randy Watson

Watson is a former councillor with eight years experience on Harrington council. Watson ran in the last election, but says illness kept her from campaigning as aggressively as she would have liked.

"I am already like a servant to the people of Harrington. People call me to help solve problems and I really enjoy working with them," said Watson.

For about 30 years, Watson has volunteered with the community centre and she has worked to arrange events and help with funeral arrangements for those in the community.

"People complain about the taxes, but that's the way of life," said Watson, who says she is in favour of implementing ongoing road improvements and supporting the council's push to control ATVs.

"People up here use ATVs a lot, but they just need to stay in the law and recognize that the rules were made by our province, not our mayor."