SOUTH STORMONT, Ontario – Bryan McGillis is returning to South Stormont politics and is running for Mayor.
McGillis previously served as Mayor from 2006-2014. Last election, he was replaced by current Mayor Jim Bancroft, who is not running for re-election.
McGillis touted his experience as Mayor and outlined his goals of creating a more open municipal government.
“As head of council I will improve communications to the ratepayers by asking the media to be present again,” McGillis said in a written statement. “I will encourage council to allow the head person of each department to make reports at all council meetings which is no longer happening.”
McGillis said that one of his goals was to improve infrastructure, but aimed to not overly burden taxpayers with those costs.
“There is not a lot of money out there, but we need to be out there knocking on doors,” he said in an interview with Seaway News.
McGillis remarked that when he was Mayor, he would petition provincial ministers in order to get money for municipal projects and gave the example of Jeff Leal, the former Minister of Infrastructure who McGillis lobbied for roadwork funding.
“In my last four years as Mayor, we had the lowest taxes in SD&G,” claimed McGillis. “And that doesn’t mean we weren’t still getting things done. You can’t run a municipality on taxes alone.”
Other policy goals McGillis hoped to fulfill if elected Mayor would be to attract more business to South Stormont, and pressure the provincial government to make safety improvements to Hwy 138.
McGillis was first elected to council in 1988 at the age of 27.
South Stormont voters go to the polls on Oct. 22.
