Candidates respond: Property Standards

All candidates for Aylmer mayor, deputy mayor and councillors were submitted the same six questions by the Aylmer Express. The three candidates for mayor are Jack Couckuyt, Greg Currie and Bob Habkirk. The three candidates for deputy mayor are Doug Avram, Mary French and Gerry Richer. The nine candidates for coucnillors (five to be elected) are Sheri Andrews, Pete Barbour, David LaPointe, Barbara Ann Laur, Ted McDonald, Bill Murch, Arthur Oslach, John Vandermeersch and Judi Wright. Here are unedited answers to one of the questions in order of candidate:

 

Are property standards in Aylmer enforced to an acceptable level?

MAYOR

Couckuyt: Property standards enforcement is based on the complaint system. We do require owners to correct any deficient standards but we are often hampered by legal requirements, length of time stipulated for improvement and other delays such as OMB hearings. The ultimate enforcement is doing the cleanup, charging the owner for the service, and having the taxpayer eventually pay the bill if the owner refuses or is unable to pay.

Currie: I think improvements are needed in this area. The town must be continually and consistently monitoring the properties, using the services of appropriate town officials in order to maintain acceptable standards.

Habkirk: I believe they are, it is a process that many residents know and use to stretch over time the failure to maintain adequate standards and avoid cleanups

 

DEPUTY MAYOR

Avram: Not sure what you define as “an acceptable level” but from past experience, Aylmer has enforced property standards when a complaint has been registered and examined.

French: I believe that property standards enforcement could be better.

Richer: Property Standards in Aylmer…..acceptable enforcement levels?…..it has been the standing practice of Aylmer for many decades to exercise passive enforcement on matters of property standards unless there is an immediate threat to life or health and safety to public. Otherwise, unless an individual files a formal written complaint to staff officials in which case staff will investigate and pursue an appropriate course of action as prescribed by either municipal bylaw or other provincial legislation. Aylmer council really does not have the staffing resources to be enforcing property standards to the full extent that we could be. staffing resources/costs are one thing, legal, length expensive court costs are another…..I FULLY SUPPORT THIS TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO BYLAW PROPERTY STANDARDS ENFORCEMENT.

 

COUNCILLORS

Andrews: I feel that our property standards are not up to an acceptable level. Our residents pay a significant amount of property tax and for that , the expectations should be held higher by our town officials and accountability needs to be executed.

Barbour: Property Standards must be fair, transparent and consistent. I do not support the practice of enforcing the bylaw solely based on a citizens written complaint. During a work day issues would be observed, why do those not count? We have some work to do on this matter.

LaPointe: It is my belief that they are. When issues are brought before Council they are dealt with in a timely manner.

Laur: I decline to comment on this question at this time until I can get clarification on this question.

McDonald: Property standards are just that… standards. The planning department makes recommendations to the council and we can accept or make allowances based upon those recommendations. The question is are we putting up roadblocks or coming alongside builders and developers to help them get through the roadblocks. This should be a function of the Town Council and not the planning department.

Murch: The town enforces property standards when a complaint is made. This process needs improvement but will cost us more to actively enforce. Let’s get our other tax concerns under control before we consider a different approach.

Oslach: I believe that it could be improved, streamlined and made more people friendly. Moving quickly on projects is very important.

Vandermeersch: Yes they are. Staff has always seen to the business of enforcing any and all reported violations of property standards in a timely manner.

Wright: Property standards in Aylmer are enforced on a complaint basis. The process of realizing any changes is often long, involved and difficult. If after all legal requirements have been met and there has been no improvement, the ultimate actions will become the responsibility of the tax payer. Aylmer property standards are not ignored and everything possible is done to achieve the standards we expect before we burden the tax payers.