Candidates for mayor
Austin Hunt
Austin Hunt With the title of longest serving municipal politician in Canada, incumbent Mayor Austin Hunt feels he can be helpful to his municipality of Billings Township over the next four years. One of the ongoing projects Mr. Hunt is eager to see finished is Phase I of a five-year substantiability plan for the township. Construction for the proposed waterfront development (which is one of eight items listed in the plan) must come out of the township’s operating budget if no grants or funding is available. However, Mr. Hunt stresses that the municipality cannot carry on with the plans if funding does not come through. Billings has been very fortunate over the years when it comes to government funding, noted Mr. Hunt, with some project being backed by as much as 90 percent. “This makes it feasible for the township to move ahead, however we don’t always get it.” Funding for renovations for the water tower came in at 90 percent from the senior levels of government and the remaining 10 percent from the township. “We were very fortunate,” Mr. Hunt said. Mr. Hunt recalled the 1960s when there was no new industry in the municipality. Gone were the days of the lumber mills. Billings chose instead to create organized subdivisions, which they made easy for citizens to purchase by keeping the rules and regulations to a minimum. The tax base grew each year as new homes were built in the subdivisions. This meant, Mr. Hunt explained, that the township was then able to add more services, a direct result of the taxes collected. “It didn’t happen all at once, it evolved,” stated Mr. Hunt. “And at times we were not sure we were doing the right thing.” Billings, he explained, became a leader in developing subdivisions, which drew newcomers to the area. “We have a big advantage in Billings,” stated Mr. Hunt, “as we have great volunteers. They are happy to do things, and we are all very grateful. We seem to have more and better (activities) than what most have.” “I did not plan to be in municipal politics for such a long time,” said Mr. Hunt. He has held the positions of either councillor or mayor (formerly reeve) since 1953, earning him the distinction of being the longest serving elected municipal politician in the country. Mr. Hunt has been active on behalf of Billings in both the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), of which he is a past chair, and sits on the executive and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and says he has gained an enormous amount of information useful to Billings through the networking that involvement in these organizations affords. “At one time, elections were held every year,” Mr. Hunt explained, noting that he used to alternate with Bruce Galbraith and, in earlier years, Morg Bowser. Since the formation of the Waste Management Committee, which is made up of community volunteers, the landfill site has improved, enabling the township to do a better job at sorting, recycling and diverting garbage to an almost at capacity dump site. “We have to get it (the footprint of the landfill site) extended,” he said. “We’re close to the limit now. With 150 acres at our disposal it is more cost effective to go out than up.” “Road maintenance and upkeep is always at the top of people’s priority lists,” noted Mr. Hunt. “What people may not know is that half the tax money collected from the township goes to the school board and District Services Board (DSB) which includes policing, ambulance, social housing and social assistance which are mandatory contributions” based on a population formula. Maintaining the roads is costly, Mr. Hunt shared. “There are 42 miles (or 67 kilometres) of township roads to be graded, plowed and maintained. People want safe, well maintained roads, and our staff does a good job of that.” Projects taken on by members of the Economic Development Committee, of which Mr. Hunt is a member, “make a community happy with the work they have done,” he said, noting the new Riverbend Stage and the Amazing Scarecrow Hunt, to name just a few events organized by community volunteers. With a year round population of 550 and 1,500 on the actual voter’s list, Billings township has been a haven for tourists for countless years with many making it their permanent home after enjoying summers here. And when a cottage becomes a permanent residence, the monies taken in through tax dollars doubles, noted Mr. Hunt. “The number of people who have put their name in for councillor shows interest—it’s good,” said Mr. Hunt. Two others have thrown their hat into the ring for the mayor’s position. “They are interested in what they’re doing,” he shared, or they wouldn’t run.” As mayor, said Mr. Hunt, you are the Complaint Department and he always takes citizens’ concerns into consideration. Mr. Hunt will be on hand at the all candidates’ night this Monday, October 6 at 7 pm at the Kagawong Park Centre.
