Ward 3
Mike Bailey
Mike Bailey After being approached by people in the community, encouraging him to run for Ward 3 councillor in the Northeast Town election, Mike Bailey decided to add his name to the ballot. This former Northeast Town public works employee said he feels residents of Ward 3 are not being well represented in the municipality. “I’m hearing that they (residents) don’t have any trust and I feel they’ve (council) gone stagnant,” he said. “They’re not moving forward—it’s just status quo.” Mr. Bailey said he is eager to work closely with the NEMI Taxpayers’ Association if elected to council and spoke of the high rate of taxes residents with waterfront property are facing, specifically on White’s Point and North Channel Drive—all part of Ward 3. Mr. Bailey is not pleased with the downtown move of the municipal office to the former federal building. “We need to have a more accessible town office,” he said. “There is no parking downtown.” He also vows to bring the topic of Ward 3 garbage pickup to the table. Mr. Bailey said he is not pleased with how the Northeast Town is coming across to its neighbouring municipalities, pointing to the Manitoulin Planning Board and its ongoing battle with it. “We seem to be bullying our way through things and not getting things done in the process,” he said matter-of-factly. “I’m an honest, no nonsense, straightforward person,” Mr. Bailey continued. “I’m also very approachable.” With his time on public works, Mr. Bailey says this gives him an advantage to the inner workings of the municipality from that point of view. “I have plenty of ideas, but it’s what the people want that’s important,” he said. “You can’t keep everyone happy, but you have to go with what’s common sense and there’s not a lot of that going in,” Mr. Bailey added bluntly. Mr. Bailey called himself a “low key guy” not to be confused with his brother, fire chief Darren Bailey, although they do share a resemblance. The Ward 3 candidate has a love of antique cars and is a founding member of the Rainbow Country Cruisers car club. Mr. Bailey plans on going door to door, talking to residents, as well as approaching Ward 3 taxpayers through his part-time job at Highway 6 Service Centre. “People want to talk and vent and they’re not getting that now,” he said.
