Don McMurray
Don McMurray was born and raised in Tehkummah, so a council for the people is important to him. “One thing I’d like to start off by saying,” he stated emphatically, “is I stand for what the people want. I don’t think this past council has lived up to that.”
He referred to the bridge replacement project, on Government Road over the Manitou River. “The cost is one million dollars to the township,” he said. “This is a small township. The project is already over budget. I hope they don’t expect ratepayers to foot that bill.”
He pointed out that the project is also two months behind schedule, and the contractor should be paying the township a daily fee for each day beyond the original completion date. “Those dollars should be going to the township but I’m leery of that. I don’t think the township is going to be paid. I think that whatever the contract says is what should happen,” he said, but he doesn’t think it is happening.
Mr. McMurray is also concerned that the bridge completion will be held up long enough that it will become the concern of a new council. “The new council that’s elected will be stuck with this bill,” he said. “That’s a lot of money for a small township.”
“There are some problems with the harbour also,” he stated. “It’s not up to standards. It costs the people too much money to leave a boat there. We have to look after our tax dollars. That means bring the harbour up to standards or forget about it.”
Another thing Mr. McMurray would like to see changed is how the municipality votes. He doesn’t believe in voting by proxy. “To me, it’s one of the most unfair voting ways there is,” he explains. “Someone could give me their vote and tell me who to vote for, but then I can use that vote to vote for whoever I want. It’s unfair.”
He has worked with people for 30 years and still enjoys it. He feels he can read people very well and that helps him to understand what they want. “I’ve dealt with people all my life through work,” he said. “I’ve been in the Lions Club for a number of years. I was a representative of CUPE for at least eight years when I was working. So I have a bit of experience.”
That experience helps him understand when things aren’t working. “I don’t think that the people are getting what they want here,” he said. “I emphasize what the people want. My ideas aren’t worth anything if the people don’t want them.”
Council also needs to be mindful of how they spend tax dollars, Mr. McMurray feels. “In a township like Tehkummah, there’s not much employment. Most people are on a fixed income.”
“My main objective is to do what the people want,” he said once again. “Not what I want. I can’t stress that enough.”
