Category Archives: Amherstburg Vote 2022

A Look Back – Candidate Aldo DiCarlo on Tourism Or Jobs?

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From a reader in 2014:

Question 16. What is better for Amherstburg: 500 tourists or one newly-created full-time industrial job?

2014 then-candidate Aldo DiCarlo

This is an interesting question but I’m not sure it has enough detail to answer. Why are the 500 tourists in town and how much money was put into Amherstburg’s economy from them? What does the industrial job pay? I don’t like not answering a question. If someone took the time to ask it, I’ll answer it the best that I can. Assuming the stabilization of economy, I’d have to lean to the industrial job. Jobs contribute to the tax base in numerous ways. I don’t think I need to go into the details of what I mean, the research is all on the internet. Ideally, I don’t see why we would have to choose, but that’s my answer on a grand assumption. With more detail I would answer the question again.

Amherstburg Vote 2022

A Look Back – Candidate Aldo DiCarlo on $67 Million Debt

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From a reader in 2014:

Question 15.  In your opinion why are we 67 million in debt? How do you think it got to this? What will you do to stop this from happening again?

2014 then-candidate Aldo DiCarlo

To keep the answer from taking up pages, I’ll just say the bulk of the debt is believed to be based on the waste water treatment plant and the Libro Centre. The debt got to this level because much of what we needed had to be built. We were obligated to build a new waste water treatment plant by the government. The cost seems to be reasonable in comparison to similar municipalities. The plant should last for years if properly designed and built, with minimal maintenance costs. Again, I don’t think anyone should deny the reality that we had to spend the money. I explained my thoughts on the cost of the Libro Centre in my answer to question 8. Considering we were spending millions trying to keep the old arena usable, with all the problems of scheduling and other issues, the money we are spending on a first class facility is money well spent. At least that’s my position, and of many people I spoke with. All communities should have a facility as great as ours. How the money was allocated, however, is a whole other problem. Single bank accounts for multiple endeavors and obligations leaves me speechless…that’s not common for me. The new CAO will be held accountable for reorganizing the Town’s financial situation and the council must oversee the administration with a level of understanding to ensure it is done properly.

Amherstburg Vote 2022

A Look Back – Candidate Aldo DiCarlo on Flooding

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From a reader in 2014:

Question 14. I would like to know what the real plan is to start control some of these recent floodings in the area, as a twice flooded and $74,000 insurance claim in 2011 less $1000 deductible and a 2nd $20,000 insurance claim now Sept 2014 less another $1000 deductible and loss of flood coverage moving forward need some real answers.. I called town hall and was told “We are not talking flood complaints at this time” … for real?? All that did was anger me more, I’m out $2000 now and risking greater loss if this happens again and being left in the dark with no communication from the town.. I have seen the old plan of disconnecting eaves trough lines from the street which I might add were done when these homes were built 25-35 years ago and direct that rain water onto the lawns, this will solve nothing because I have pictures and video of my street with water blasting out of the storm and sewer covers flooding the area several times since Aug 2011 and whether roof top rain water dumps into the sewers or flooded streets isn’t going to matter because it will still end up in the same place, peoples homes.. My home value is decreased, I’m stressed to the max and with already suffering from health issues don’t know where to turn or what to say.. I’m paying $2500 a year is property taxes for all this!

2014 then-candidate Aldo DiCarlo

I believe Glenn Swinton does a very good job, with his response to this question, in trying to narrow down the problem. I’m not ashamed to refer to another candidate’s comments. I would use this to reiterate a point I tried to make earlier, in that, no one can know everything alone, but collectively we can find solutions. Once the cause is determined a solution must be designed and executed. Much like I spoke about the need to spend money on safety, spending money addressing flooding issues is also necessary. These are issues we pay taxes for, the bare essentials. If we can’t say we have safe neighbourhoods, proper drainage and sewage lines, etc., what are we paying taxes for? This is not to say we shouldn’t look for government funding, grants, etc., to help, but it has to be addressed. I am astounded that the Town told you they weren’t taking complaints for flooding. Since I’ve never had to call for a complaint like flooding, I always assumed that a complaint was a complaint. If the Town can now ignore complaints by category, we may be in worse trouble than believed.

Amherstburg Vote 2022

A Look Back – Candidate Aldo DiCarlo on Police Buyout Clause

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From a reader in 2014:

Question 13. The Town now is in the process of negotiating a new contract with our local police force. Within this contract (expires Dec 2014) is a clause which if activated could cost our town dearly! What is your knowledge of this buyout clause? what is your understanding of the rational behind the inclusion of it in our contract? What and how many officers would be involved? What would be the cost to our town if enforced one day? From my understanding, we are talking anywhere from 8-10 million dollars would be paid out to officers changing uniforms, not losing jobs? Your thoughts please!

2014 then-candidate Aldo DiCarlo

Here’s what I know: The buyout clause was inserted sometime in the 1990’s during amalgamation of Essex County. At the time, pensions were not transferable from municipal policing to provincial policing plans. The clause was meant to compensate, or rather not penalize, officers who might be forced to switch. Since that time, municipal pension plans can be transferred to provincial for the officers who choose to go to the OPP. There would be a shortfall for the officers, as their current pension plans aren’t quite equal to the provincial plans. This could likely be negotiated at minimal cost compared to the cost of implementing the clause as is. Approximately half of the current officers would be affected by the pre‐hire date of October 2001, that is, the officers hired prior to this date would receive the maximum 3 months’ pay for every year of service. The others would receive 3 weeks’ pay, I believe. I can’t tell you the exact figure for the cost if enforced today, but I’ve been told it is in the millions? Please see my answer to question 6 for more. As a matter of clarification for those that might think the Police Association has some control over the costing from OPP, they do not. The costing for OPP services must be done by the Board. Please look up who is currently on the Board and ask them why they have never bothered to cost out the OPP services or ask the Association for their position?…at least not to my knowledge.

Edited: I have recently been corrected on who is required to request the costing for OPP. I am told that the OPP costing must be requested by Council, not the Police Board. The rest of my position remains the same. There has been numerous years to request OPP costing by Council, of which there was no cost to the Town.

Amherstburg Vote 2022

A Look Back – Candidate Aldo DiCarlo on CAO Selection

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From a reader in 2014:

Question 12. Do you approve of this Council/Admin selecting a new CAO on your behalf. Would you prefer to select your own CAO?

2014 then-candidate Aldo DiCarlo

As much as I’d like to select my own CAO, or more properly the new council select the new CAO, it doesn’t seem like a viable option for the best interests of the Town. Having been on the VP Administration & Finance hiring committee for the University, I learned quickly the complexities of hiring at such a high level. It is not a short process by any means. My best assumption would be at least a 6 month process to hire the right individual. It might be done in a shorter time, depending on the candidates available, but I believe in planning conservatively. With Mr. Phipps making his intentions to leave by December clear, there wasn’t much of a choice in hiring now. The Town could have looked at hiring yet another interim CAO, but I can’t honestly see how that would have been better. It is my understanding that the new CAO, Mr. Miceli, has a contract that would have to be paid out if he was dismissed. Not working with the new CAO would be detrimental to the staff and costly. I spoke with employees of the City of Windsor to inquire about Mr. Miceli’s abilities. It seemed to be the consensus that Mr. Miceli is capable of working in a collaborative manner, something Town Hall desperately needs. I confirmed that he was directing large projects, in the millions of dollars, and he did so effectively. If I were elected mayor, I would work with Mr. Miceli to get the Town back on track. I don’t believe doing otherwise will benefit the town. We should hold him accountable to do the job he was hired to do before paying him to go away.

Amherstburg Vote 2022

A Look Back – Candidate Aldo DiCarlo on Societal and Environmental Issues

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From a reader in 2014:

Question 11. There has been much discussion about the financial and economic issues Amherstburg is facing. What is your understanding and your thoughts about the societal and environmental issues facing the communities that comprise Amherstburg?

2014 then-candidate Aldo DiCarlo

This answer may sound like I’m passing the buck, but as much as Amherstburg has to deal with these issues as a municipality, these issues are so big that they need provincial and federal support. In this respect, I would advocate for Amherstburg at a provincial and federal level for support.

Amherstburg Vote 2022

A Look Back – Candidate Aldo DiCarlo on Regional Transit

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From a reader in 2014:

Question 10. What will you do to help establish regional transit within walking distance of all Amherstburg communities so that residents do not have to rely on car travel to commute to work or get to appointments in Windsor?

2014 then-candidate Aldo DiCarlo

I will continue to work with the other municipalities to try and achieve this goal. This is a large project that cannot be achieved without the support, both financial and otherwise, from the rest of Essex County. The cost of doing this without government subsidies is unlikely due to population gaps throughout the County. Nonetheless, I would work towards a common goal that could help the entire region. Amherstburg does, however, have various alternative transportation methods for individuals without means like the Amherstburg Care A Van. While we work to find a way to establish regional transit, we can look at expanding what we already do well. Even if there were a nominal ‘ride’ fee for people who required transportation (ie; post secondary school students et al.) we may be able to achieve a temporary solution. The town could also look into busing for major events in other parts of Essex County, much like we do for the SOE Wine Festival. Public consultation is key.

Amherstburg Vote 2022

A Look Back – Candidate Aldo DiCarlo on Parks, Sidewalks and Walkable Neighbourhoods

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From a reader in 2014:

Question 9. What will you do if elected to ensure that all communities in Amherstburg such as Kingsbridge, Pointe West, Golfview, McGregor and Malden have parks, sidewalks and walkable neighbourhood commercial and institutional destinations

2014 then-candidate Aldo DiCarlo

I believe, as I’m sure most do, that safety is something that has to be addressed, even it has a cost. Similar to the answer to question 8, some debts have to be owned. Sidewalks, for example, aren’t just cosmetically pleasing, they’re necessary for safety. Not every neighbourhood needs a park, although we may want them to, but every neighbourhood needs a safe way for people to walk, run and bike. There are less expensive ways to achieve safety while acquiring funds to do it the way we would prefer. The walk/bike lane on Simcoe/Pike, for example, was a cost effective way to provide a path to the Libro Centre at a reduced cost to concrete sidewalks. I believe this is the bridging answer for Texas Road. The Texas Road discussion started because the need for a sidewalk became a safety issue once Kingsbridge joined Texas Road. Many residents now walk either the short path thru Kingsbridge or all the way around using Concession 2. That entire walkway can be done with a paved lane and a rumble strip on one side of the street. I honestly couldn’t tell you where the grandiose dream of curbs, concrete sidewalks, decorative light posts, etc. came from. Having a lot of family and friends in that area, they’ve expressed their distaste with the plans as it would add a ‘bump’ in to their driveway, where now it is a smooth transition. Regardless, for those that ‘need’ a sidewalk now, it can be done inexpensively while repaving the road, which could hardly be disagreed is overdue. This is just one example of finding ways to give communities what they want, and pay for, without huge debt. Consultation with all the affected residents is obviously where to start. It doesn’t matter so much what council thinks, it’s what the citizens need.

Amherstburg Vote 2022

A Look Back – Candidate Aldo DiCarlo on Spending and Debt

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From a reader in 2014:

Question 8. How will you curtail spending and pay down the debt? Would you eliminate jobs? Would you reduce each department’s budget?

2014 then-candidate Aldo DiCarlo

This is a difficult question to answer as an ‘outsider’. There is no doubt that the Town Hall structure and spending needs to be analyzed. What I can say is that I would not be opposed to any difficult decisions that need to be made to move the Town in a positive financial direction. That said, some debt is necessary or beneficial. An example is the Libro Centre. There is often talk about the operating deficit. There should always be investigation to see if there is a way to operate with a balanced budget or a surplus. Some debt needs to be ‘owned’ however. I believe the Libro Centre provides numerous services and facilities for everyone, young and old, and if taxes are required to maintain such a positive service for the Town, we should pay that. Any time I was at the Libro Centre, it was always bustling with people using the facilities. If you compare costs, I believe we are currently paying for the Libro Centre what we were paying to keep up the old arena. When you compare the two, how can you argue it isn’t money well spent? An overall review needs to be done to determine efficiencies and deficiencies, and fees required.

Amherstburg Vote 2022

A Look Back – Candidate Aldo DiCarlo on Tourism

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From a reader in 2014:

Question 7. What do you believe is the Town’s role in Tourism? Is Tourism an essential service which benefits all taxpayers? We have a tourism and cultural department that has ballooned to an annual budget of over one million dollars. This department was started with a $60,000 Trillium grant from the Provincial government to help the Town promote itself. Where are we today?

2014 then-candidate Aldo DiCarlo

I believe Tourism is essential and benefits all taxpayers. I can’t say much to answer this question, except to say I would definitely look into it. Perhaps some of this money was related to the 1812 funding from the government? I am interested to see what the actual ‘regular’ budget is for Tourism. If it is $1M, I definitely want to know what it’s being used for and what we’re getting for our money. When I say part of my platform is accountability, I don’t say it as an election buzzword. If you know me, you know I follow through with accountability. If you don’t know me, ask someone who does. Budgets are budgets. If we need $1M to properly support Tourism in Amherstburg, I wouldn’t want to change the amount. Services cost money, I would just want to make sure we’re getting something for the money we pay in taxes.

Amherstburg Vote 2022