Editor's note: BarrieToday is running profile stories on candidates for city council in each of the city's 10 wards. For more election coverage, visit our 2022 municipal election page by clicking here, where you can also find mayoral profiles and other election news.
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Kevin LePage has been involved with his hometown in different capacities and hopes to add Ward 6 councillor to that list.
LePage, who was the city's Ward 9 councillor from 2003 to 2006, has worked for the Simcoe County District School Board for over 25 years in different capacities.
“(The IT job) taught me to separate the emotion from the issue so that I can make decisions that are in the best interests of the city and the constituents, rather than making decisions that will be popular in the heat of the moment at council,” LePage told BarrieToday.
“My years of managerial experience in the public education sector as part of an information technology services senior management team requires fiscally responsible and transparent management of a multi-million-dollar budget to support technology for students and staff in public schools," he added.
Living in Ward 6 since 1990, the 56-year-old says he can best represent this area because he knows it well.
“I can bring an historical perspective to the issues affecting both residents and business owners, and since I've lived in the area for so long, I have had the opportunity to watch Ward 6 grow from forest and fields to brick and mortar,” LePage said. “My wife Stacey and I have raised our three children in this community. I have played in the parks with my children, hiked the Ardagh Bluffs, and fought for the protection of the Bear Creek Wetlands and the creation of the Eco-Park.”
LePage believes it's important to have a good mix of new and experienced members on council to help bring a balanced and informed approach during council and committee meetings.
“I learned a lot from my previous council experience from 2003 to 2006. I bring a non-partisan, compassionate, common-sense approach to council and understand the job of representing Ward 6, and at the same time, keeping the larger picture of Barrie in focus,” he said.
As for what he believes Ward 6 needs most, LePage said with the area being primarily residential, residents are feeling the pains associated with significant demands related to growth.
“This growth has created significant pressures on our environment and our ability to keep growth sustainable,” he said. “There is an increasing number of vehicles and speeding on residential streets as well as the ever-growing pressure to increase taxes as the costs of existing and expanding city infrastructure and services expands to meet the needs of our residents.”
Speaking on infill development, LePage believes this threatens to gobble up remaining parcels of land which were previously too expensive to develop.
“The development has residents concerned as change upends the status quo, causes anxiety and fears of personal financial losses or perceived lack of community pleasure,” he said.
The municipal election takes place Monday, Oct. 24.
Candidates running in Ward 6 include LePage, James Allan Bray, Sharon Doran, Darryl Duff, and Nigussie Nigussie.
The nomination window for candidates closes on Friday, Aug. 19.
