Belleville’s mayoral candidates took turns in the hot seat at the Empire Theatre on Wednesday at the Belleville Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Municipal Election Candidates’ Forum.
A former mayor of Belleville who wants the job back took issue with the current mayor’s work and integrity.
Candidate Neil Ellis criticized Mayor Mitch Panciuk for hiring his campaign manager, a move which caused an investigation by the city’s Integrity Commissioner who ruled against the mayor.
“We need a mayor with integrity, Google Mitch Panciuk and integrity,” Ellis said. “We had an Integrity Commission rule against the mayor for hiring his campaign manager. This mistake cost us $1 million.”
Ellis also criticized Panciuk for not leading council to simply appoint the person who finished just out of the running in the 2018 election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Councillor Pat Culhane.
Instead Panciuk and others voted in favour of appointing a member of the public who wasn’t a candidate in the election, a decision that caused a huge backlash from the public. Ellis promised to appoint the runner up should the situation happen under his watch, earning loud cheers and applause from the crowd.
Later, during his closing statement, Panciuk took aim back at Ellis, saying “desperate people take certain steps, and you can always know somebody who really needs their job in terms of what they’ll say.” The comment drew a harsh round of booing from the crowd before Panciuk could continue.
On other subjects a question posed to the mayoral candidates was about what environmental initiatives they had planned for the city.
Panciuk says he has big plans to be environmentally friendly, with plans to partner with Elexicon energy to bring in a fleet of electric buses to replace the city’s diesel-powered fleet. He also mentioned tree planting initiatives and plans to convert roughly half of the former Bakelite property into environmentally protected wetland.
Ellis said that he already had green initiatives done during his past time as mayor. He talked about his introduction of the green compost bins to the city’s garbage disposal system, and the solar farm constructed on the sports and wellness centre. He then went on to agree with Panciuk and state he planned to electrify the transit network in the city.
Thomson didn’t mention any green initiatives or ideas that he planned to start or continue if elected. During his allotted time he said that the real credit for environmentally friendly initiatives should be given to the frontline workers in the city’s various departments who are actually doing the work.
Another question to candidates asked how they would guide by-law officers to support businesses.
Panciuk said they needed to step up by-law enforcement. Panciuk says that in residential neighbourhoods they have gone from a house supporting a single family of five, to upwards of 10 unrelated people living in the same building, and says that is a problem that needs to be dealt with. Panciuk says that part of the problem resides in provincial law, but also that the city needs better by-law enforcement as well.
Ellis said they had a shortage of actual by-law inspectors, relying mainly on enforcing by-laws after someone complains rather than proactively inspecting. He said that the city needs more by-law officers and to be more proactive with inspections and enforcing compliance. Ellis specifically pointed out residential properties with unmaintained lawns and exteriors, or which were housing well over the legal limit of tenants as problems.
Thomson said that he wasn’t aware that by-law enforcement was going to be discussed at the debate. He also stated his support for by-law officers and said that if they needed more assistance they should receive it.
One of the last questions asked candidates about rising crime rates in the city.
Panciuk said that while crime was on the rise, the city was still doing great compared to crime elsewhere and that Belleville remains a very safe place. The incumbent mayor went on to say that he did support hiring more officers and expanding frontline resources for police.
Ellis remarked on how quickly the population of Belleville has grown, and pointed out how the size of the police force has not grown with it. He said there needs to be more officers out on the ground doing police work, making themselves seen and preventing crime.
Thomson remarked on how he’s spoken to police that were frustrated with the job. He says they see criminals with warrants out, but can’t do anything because they just get released right away. Thomson said this isn’t how the justice system is supposed to work and says it need to be fixed, whatever it takes.
Candidates for councillors from Ward 1 also got to make an appearance, each one answering a question and briefly speaking about themselves and their platform.
The mayoral candidates and Ward 2 (Thurlow) candidates will hold a similar debate at the Gerry Masterson Centre Thursday starting at 7 o’clock
