Candidates meet, greet. Do a lot of talking about Susan Myers

Things don't usually get overly exciting at a library on a cold January Monday evening in Sault Ste. Marie, but this was an exception.

The nine Ward 2 municipal by-election candidates addressed an audience of more than 30 people gathered at the Centennial Public Library Reading Area.

There was drama when an audience member raised the question of what has been perceived as an endorsement of candidate Sandra Hollingsworth by Susan Myers, a sitting Ward 2 city councillor and longtime Hollingsworth family friend.

Myers is quoted as endorsing Hollingsworth in a by-election brochure.

"Do you feel that's fair?" audience member Carol Laurence asked the panel of candidates.

"What happens to the rest of these candidates, who's backing them up?" Laurence said.

"A sitting councillor shouldn't be endorsing anybody, you should be neutral," candidate Ron Schinners said.

"Bottom line is she (Myers) has not endorsed me, she has not," Hollingsworth replied.

"Bottom line is that I actually approached her, showed her my credentials and I said 'would you consider giving me a quote?'"

"Looking at the bigger picture, it's looking at qualifications, it's looking at experience…being part of very many committees in the city, bottom line is I just asked for a quote," Hollingsworth said.

"I think we can quibble over words in political parlance, when somebody offers a quote for you, that it is an endorsement, and furthermore I think that you're overlooking the fact that Susan's campaigning on your behalf and holding socials, so just to be clear on what is happening in the ward," said candidate Jody Curran.

"Susan Myers has said she could work with all nine of us but her actions are indicating something differently," said candidate Andy Martens.

Curran, a former Ward 2 councillor and Sault Star reporter/editor/advertising department manager, said he wants to re-enter municipal politics to lobby senior levels of government for help as the Sault goes through tough economic times, and work to create jobs through the EDC and Innovation Centre.

Hollingsworth, who worked as a strategist for CIBC in Toronto and Vancouver before returning to her hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, said she is naturally concerned with Essar Steel Algoma's fortunes but also emphasized the importance of encouraging the startup and success of small and medium sized businesses in the city.

Andy Martens, an OLG employee and five-time council candidate, called for an increase to the industrial tax base and a return to the John Rowswell days of marketing the Sault's assets around the world.

Susan Milne, a well-known local horticulturalist, Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) member and currently a self employment benefit co-ordinator with the Community Development Corporation (CDC), said she would bring experience as an advocate for youth, seniors, families and not-for-profits to council.

David Poluck, owner/operator of Northern Jewellery and member of the Sault Association of Ratepayers, said he would continue to address the issue of taxes and how money is spent as a member of council.

Les Weeks, a local business owner who has been involved with various boards and groups (including the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce and the Sault Ste. Marie Museum board) said he wants to see the city's downtown area revived with a business-friendly environment, two-way traffic on Queen Street, as much help as possible from the senior levels of government and continued scrutiny of the city's tap water quality.

Luke Dufour, owner/operator of a small contracting company, said he first became interested in municipal politics after becoming a homeowner and business owner, and that council must take the lead in diversifying the Sault's economy and promoting it to potential investors.

John Duke, who owns a private investigations company, said he is a strong supporter of municipally-run daycare, a strong critic of plans to cut the number of Sault firefighters, and spoke of the need to lessen reliance on Essar Steel Algoma and focus on innovation to create jobs.

"I'm not a politician…I'm just a senior trying to make ends meet," said Schinners, his voice raised as he spoke against the rate of municipal taxes.

"I will never vote for a tax increase, I want at least an eight-percent tax decrease in 2016," Schinners declared.

The candidate said services such as snow removal would remain untouched if taxes were decreased by that amount.

"Over the past 15 years, council has raised taxes by 31.84 percent…our MPP David Orazietti has conceded that the city receives provincial funding five times the provincial average, yet municipal taxes are still among the highest in the province," Schinners said.

"The city's budget was $168 million in 2010…without controlled spending and with tax hikes, the city's budget was raised to $183 million in 2014."Only four of the nine candidates (Curran, Duke, Weeks and Milne) reside in Ward 2.

The nine candidates mingled with the audience and took questions after the event wrapped up at 8 p.m.

The Ward 2 municipal by-election will be held February 1.