Two city councillors are giving a glimpse into their decision making when it comes to the next step for the multi-use indoor turf facility.
Council voted recently to forego gathering anymore information and begin looking for companies willing to build it. On Monday night, August 24th, they will ratify their decision, while at the same time get a look at the forecasted budget for 2021, which some feel could change some votes.
For Current River Councillor Andrew Foulds, voting to advance it has been the toughest decision he has ever made as a city councillor.
He admits while he is very concerned about the chaotic times we live in, he says this is an outstanding project. “If I can give people an opportunity to experience joy, physical fitness, that will improve the social determinants of health, I think that investment is profoundly important.”
Foulds says he takes his job as city councillor very seriously. So to be able to vote to spend money with very uncertain times ahead, he says he is forging ahead with his goal to take bold steps to try to improve peoples’ lives.
“I try to do my best to make a decision that I think is in the best interest of the citizens. You don’t need to know everything about everything, but I’ve always felt I need to know enough, and that’s what I was struggling with,” says the councillor.
He adds while he has the utmost respect for city administration who advised delaying it, he recalls voting with them more often than not. As for community reaction to his vote, Foulds tells us he’s received passionate phone calls of thanks which brought him to tears. And, there are others that say they aren’t angry with any councillor. “They understand the challenges and complexities of making the decision. And I don’t think I’ve ever actually encountered that where so many people have come up to me and said ‘You know, I don’t blame you for voting either way’.”
The city councillor adds people expressed great concern over finances as well as the future of sport in Thunder Bay.
Now, another councillor says many people have thanked him for voting to defer.
Mark Bentz, who voted the same as At-large councillors Trevor Giertuga and Rebecca Johnson, and McKellar’s Brian Hamilton, says he has not heard much from those feeling the opposite. He points out he made a prudent decision based on current finances and the impact of COVID-19. “I think there are some surveys that show the majority of citizens feel that we need to take this pause to see what’s happening with the city’s future revenues.”
He also appreciates those few who expressed their opposite view to him, and he then explained his position.
“It’s not an adversarial one, these are just the facts that I’m working on. And you know what, I heard back from many of those people who had a different opinion than me, and thanked me for setting out my position clearly to them,” says Bentz.
The At-large councillor says they are trained to make decisions based on fact, not emotion. That decision for him was largely influenced by what could be in coming budget forecast. He says it has a potential tax rate of up to six percent, mainly due to COVID-19’s impact. “With revenue being projected downward for 2021, and they’ll be taking their best guess at tax arrears, do you want to initiate a $42-million project when administration is projecting a tax rate of over %5?”
He adds the forecast at council next week could sway votes.
