Voting starts Oct 14th – please vote and I hope you will elect me.
Hi my name is Elaine Capes. I am running for Councillor for the Town of Mono
I have posted my qualifications, background and involvement on my website for you to see I have the skill, knowledge and experience for the job. And, so you can see this is not a fleeting interest.
I’d like to tell you why I am running. Like you we choose to live here. We love Mono’s small town feel, its natural and built heritage, its greenness and its night skies.
Choosing where to live is a big decision and a big investment – in family, lifestyle and economic wellbeing.
As councillor I will be your voice to protect the investment we have all made, to preserve the landscape, and to ensure accountability and transparency of operations and senior management.
I have concerns and hopes for Mono like:
• Keeping out the threat of big development, solar farms, and gravel pits
• Keeping people safe, in our communities and on our roads
• Keeping Mono affordable
And I have a history of involvement on all these fronts.
I really want to listen to what your concerns and hopes are for our Town.
Connect with me anytime…
Elaine Capes
elaine@elainecapes.ca
705-718-5220
Qualifications
I submit the following in support of my qualifications to serve the Council and Town of Mono. Combined with, my passion to take an active role in my community, to make a contribution, and to preserve the valued rural nature of our municipality, I have a valuable breadth and depth of knowledge and experience across the community, and with the processes that govern how we conduct municipal business, that will allow me to participate fully, upon execution of the oath to serve, should I be the successful candidate.
2005
Left my successful career in the TOR Finance sector, relocated our family to our current address and forever home, immersed myself in our new community, childrens’ school, PIC*, volunteering, municipal process, establishing my Consulting business, WHOA*, and Little Creek Ranch riding & day camp for kids
2006 – 22 as a concerned citizen
- Attended Mulmur Council to question land use – development proposal next to Primrose E.S.
- Started attending Mono Council meetings
- Instrumental in stopping a Sun Life mega Solar Farm application preventing destruction of acres of farmland, habitat, ground water, and our natural heritage
- Attended several Police Services board meetings – presenting citizen concerns for road safety and increased speeding, passing and truck volumes on Airport Rd and community safety signage
- Connecting with staff for website changes for reporting bylaw infractions and for improved processes for event communication and registration using technology specifically for the Land Trust workshop, and the online and paper Community Internet Survey
- Participation to support Protect Mono – advocating to object to the Greenwood gravel pit for community preservation, health and safety, and protection of our natural heritage, attending online hearings
- Participation in Mono’s “Adopt a Road” program – Mono Adjala TL 30th to the 25th
2006 – 22 In my volunteer work
- Volunteer Director Headwaters Health Care Foundation (HHCF) (now member of Senate following 9-year term) – connecting with the community to raise funds – understanding of the health care needs of DC – strategic planning – fiscal accountability – governance
- Volunteer Director, past Vice Chair, Headwaters Tourism Assoc. – connecting with the economic benefits of tourism for our region – strategic planning – fiscal accountability
- Volunteer Director, past Chair, Family Transition Place – connection with the needs of women seeking shelter from abuse – strategic planning – governance and fiscal accountability
- Volunteer Cadet Support Committee Chair – connecting with local youth aged 12 to 19 – fiscal accountability
2006 – 22 in my consulting work
- Strategic planning for local community organisations – HCIA, HHCF, Peace Ranch, Community Living Dufferin, MC2 Community Visioning May 8th & Nov 27th, 2010
- Process mapping for local business performance improvement
- DC MOVES / DCEC coordinator – connection to DC community human service agencies – understanding the need and the economic challenges / inequities – responsible for engagement
2010 – 14 as a Mono Councillor
- Facilitated and developed first draft of Mono Strategic plan
- Introduced Budget process changes to include department business plans to ensure Council took ownership of the budget presented to the citizens
- Prime Agricultural Area – Provincially mandated land use changes – pushed for inviting the Minister’s office to meet with our citizens to hear their concerns first-hand
- Town representative for Headwaters Tourism Assoc., Heritage Committee, and Rosemont Fire Dept.
- Klondike gravel pit application to dig below the water table – attended open houses engaged with impacted citizens, stood up for residents and denial of the application
- County Official Plan – participation at County assuring Mono’s autonomy over our Official Plan
- Dufferin County Forest plan – supported citizens in their call for engagement in a more collaborative process to ensure their voices were heard and they were at the table
2014 – 18 Mono Research and Advisory Committee (MRAC)
- Engagement work group – developing recommendations and creating presentation to Council – customer service approach taken under consideration and assigned to staff for implementation
- Climate Change work group – developed recommendations and presented to Council – suggestion for idling bylaw to reduce GHG, and install electric car charging station taken under consideration and assigned to staff
- Land Trust work group – developed recommendations and presented to Council – suggestion for Land Trust public workshop – organised and facilitated – initialized event management via Town social media and web software for online registration
- Town wide Internet – goal to establish affordable internet for all Mono residents – initiated survey mapped by staff with GIS –instrumental for meeting with providers to create a Mono wide plan
- Waste management – investigating increasing costs to Mono to participate with County
2014 – 22 as an MC2 board member and Chair
- Land fill – Cox/Normal Farm Practices case: preparation with Ontario Soil watch organisation, attendance at hearings
- Land use – Water skiing/ OMAFRA / NEC case: preparation and attendance at hearings; Tai Chi cemetery expansions (1st and 2nd attempts) / NEC application: support for local homeowner and Mono citizens to prevent destruction of NEC protected lands; Keeping informed of, attending public and planning committee meetings for Smokies, On the 9
- Mentoring other groups for specific community concerns – e.g., Klondike Pit, Adamo Bird Bangers
- NEP expansion – attendance at public open houses, letter to the Province advocating against this expansion
- OMB process review – investigation and letter to the Province suggesting changes that retain local Municipal control and remove the economic inequities
Elaine Capes
elaine@elainecapes.ca
705-718-5220