GuelphToday asked candidates running for council in the Oct. 22 municipal election to provide a short biography and their platform and/or why they are running for council.
THE PERSON: My name is Jamie Killingsworth and I live in the St. Georges park area of Ward 1 with my wife Penny, 9-year-old daughter Holly and our cat Marvin.
Our family cannot imagine living anywhere else – this section of the city is incredibly beautiful and has a wonderful sense of community. I currently teach at the University of Guelph-Humber in the media studies program. I also teach political science so I know how governments at all levels work. It’s exciting to be in the classroom with young people and I find it incredibly rewarding. I learn as much from my students as they do from me, particularly when it comes to how they deal with the ever changing technology we use.
I attended the University of Guelph, graduating with a BA in Canadian history and politics. I’ve also earned a Master of journalism degree from Carleton University. Previously, I worked as a sports and news broadcaster with CTV Kitchener and the FAN 590. During my time as a journalist, I was able to meet people from a wide variety of backgrounds and tell their stories. I am an avid baseball fan and have served on the board of directors of Guelph Minor Baseball.
Volunteering for GMBA was also incredibly rewarding and I learned a great deal about myself and how to serve a diverse organization with a number of different goals and interests. These experiences have prepared me for the considerable challenge and opportunity to serve on Guelph City Council.
THE PLATFORM: I love the city of Guelph and want it to remain the unique city it is – a city that is a great place to raise a family and a great city to work, live and play in. It may be cliché, but it’s true.
I have a set of skills to help serve this community that has given me so much. I arrived here as a university student, left a few times for job opportunities, but I always came back. I met my wife here, bought a home here and started a family here. This is home. I am uniquely qualified to represent and tackle the challenges of Ward 1 on city council since I’ve been in most people’s shoes at some point in my life. I’ve relied on the bus. I know what it’s like to rent, live in a condo and own a home with a family. These experiences have helped me understand that we need to continue to provide services for our citizens in a way that makes financial sense.
In this campaign, I want to emphasize that I am not a career councillor. I firmly believe that Guelph City Council requires a combination of experience and fresh faces with new ideas and different ways of looking at the issues that face this city.
If elected, I promise to only serve two terms. Eight years on council should be enough time for anyone to contribute their ideas and gain experience while not becoming out of touch.
Property taxes will always be an issue. Balancing tax rates with the services a city provides is probably the hardest thing any city does. The city of Guelph provides a wide range of services that residents need and use. For the most part, I think the city does a good job of managing these services, but we can always do better. My commitment to you is to do everything possible to avoiding increases to our property taxes. If increases are necessary, they should not exceed the rate of inflation.
The construction of a new library in the downtown should be a priority of the next council. These are the kinds of investments the city of Guelph needs to make. Libraries are crucial to maintaining a sense of community. Technology may change the way we approach how libraries function – they’ve always been much more than just a collection of books. With our society increasingly able to access information on our smart phones, you might think libraries have become obsolete. I would argue we need libraries more than ever. They are meeting places for everyone. Libraries are places where children discover the joy of reading and learn about the world around them. Libraries are key to immigration in Canada. Often one of the first places that newcomers connect with upon their arrival to Canada is the public library. This is where newcomers discover what Guelph has to offer, learn English and ultimately become part of our community.
Another issue I hear a lot about is how are how to keep everyone safe with the increasing traffic in neighbourhoods. In the east end of Guelph, we need more services. Encouraging more retail opportunities must be a top priority. The fentanyl crisis has certainly touched our city and has an over-represented impact on the downtown area. Facilities for amateur sports teams must be maintained and improved. These should all be priorities for council.
Because municipal government is the level of government that people have the most contact with on a day-to-day basis, they look to the city as the first-line of defence on these issues.
