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a a - radKâ€"mis'fiupfii m?1 al-EREE SCARF mans. A MEWWR I mules: | mustnu Whitchurch-Stouffville mayoral candidates await their turn on stage during the all-candidates meeting at Stoufiville District Secondary School last Thursday. sbolanOyrmgxom One mayoral candldme pmmâ€" ised to not give himself a raise. if elected. while a ward council- lor pledged to not accept the car allowance and spend it. instead. on municipal amenities, including arts and culture. Both statements were received with great applause from the roughly 300 people who attended the only all-candidates meeting before the Oct. 27 municipal elec- tion. Among thosé in the Stouffville District Secondary School cafete- ria last Thursday night were Mayor Wayne Emmerson. former mayor Individual wand meetings are instead scheduled. Sué Sherban and Oak Ridges- Markham federal Liberal candi- Cheers, boos for election candidates BY SANDRA BOLAN date lane Philpon. Making his second consecutive bid for mayor. Justin Altm‘ann was emphatic his age. 31. and lack of experience should not be counted against him. He pointed to Oak Ridges- Markham MPP Helena laczek and MP Paul ()alandra ~ who had staff- ers in the cmwd - as examples of politicians with no previous expe- rience and US President Bamck Obama who was 44 when first elected. Altmann said. if elected. he would not lncrease his salary. whlch was received with thunder- ous applause. Wud 6 council can- didate Bryan Stott noted he would not take the car allowance. He also pointed out “I have no price; tag and MHAnotA bq bought: One of Altmann's opponents â€" Phil Bannon - had the honour of being the only cgndidate Tfiat came after he stated if all current councillors. him included. and the mayor were running for reelection. they would all win. as was the case in 2010. The three-{emu Ward 2 council- lor noted. ll elected as mayor. he would champion a new seniors' centre. an gallery and multicul- tural centre. Mayoral candidate Willie Reo- dica may have gained some fans when he said he would not allow snowplough drivers to “deliberate- ly” fill driveways with snow. 7 He also wants a hospital and Catholic high school constructed in Whitchuxch-Stouffvllle. Arnold Neufeldt-Fast wants to keep the “greenbelt buckled” and make Main Street more pedestrian and bicycle friendly fmm Ninth Line to Hwy. 48. The mayoral can- didate would use the 3800.000 lawn bowling budget to help do it. Richard Bartley. who is running for mayor after serving eight years as councillor in Ward 5. advocated for new businesses in town and an additional food bank location. When Ward 4 candidates were asked to give their opinion on the former Southwire plant being transformed into a wholesale trade centre. the resounding response was they lacked information. “l'm'curious about it because I'm not sure how it would benefit our local economy.” said Holly Ful- lager. VOIiver Belo concurred with “I'm not sure the economic benefits are there for us". The crowd appeared to agree. flick Upton didn’t dislike the idea. but would prefer it be fur- ther out of Stouffville. while Mark Whine noted we can't say we want businesses in town then cherry pick which ones and where they go. Main Street in downtown Stouffville has long been a hot but- ton topic in and 5. 7 V lain Lovatt. one of three candi- dates trying to replace Banley on council in the northeast Stouffville ward. believes better marketing is needed. He claimed residents liv- ing south of Main Sneet do not know it exists. “It's about us. We have to use it. We have to shop there." said Tom Wmters. The third candidate. Michael Humphmys. said downtown mer- chants don't have standard opem- ing hours. noting some close on Mondays. Scr‘l STAFF PHOYOISTEVE SOMERVILLE ’. page 24