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Mono Mayor Laura Ryan seeks third term on council

August 16, 2018   ·   0 Comments

By Jasen Obermeyer

Mono Mayor Laura Ryan is facing competition in the upcoming October municipal election as she seeks a third straight term.

She was first elected as mayor back in 2010, and in 2014 was acclaimed. This year though she will have to fight for the position as another Mono resident, Stephen Unwin, has put his name forward for the position of mayor.

“I really enjoy it,” she told the Citizen regarding why she is seeking re-election. “I like working with the residents, and staff, and the broader community.”

During her time in the political field, she has been a school board trustee, and served as Dufferin County’s warden in 2013 and 2016. “I’ve still got lots of things that I want to do.”

Asked what some of those things are, she explained the town will have to tackle how to handle economic development, as Dufferin County recently hired an economic development officer, and how to deal with tourism. “Those areas can be expanded.”

She noted she wants to review the town’s by-laws to see if they need to be “changed, upgraded, or modified.”

She explained that funding and infrastructure would depend on how the new provincial government moves forward.

Mayor Ryan said that she is proud of the fact that during the past four years,  with the help of council and staff, the town has been bringing advanced planning, developing better communications, creating a natural heritage system, and developing a more interactive website. “There are tons of things we’ve done this past term.”

During the four years, council had also made several big decisions on environment, including opposing Greenwood’s proposed Violet Hill gravel pit and the creation of a pollinator garden.

Mayor Ryan described council as being able to work “cohesively” and on a whole, having been enthusiastic to find solutions and results for the town, and being active in their various committees.

She acknowledged that there had been “some down sides to some things,” specifically legal actions regarding the Singer water-skiing dispute, and farmer Douglas Cox’s proposed landfill. These actions have cost the Town close to $800,000 in legal and staff costs.

However, Mayor Ryan said they have been “for the purpose of ensuring a good basis for the community, and we are adhering to the best practices in land use planning.”

With the election approaching, Mayor Ryan said that she is excited about getting out and talking to the residents on what they want to see happen, which she would “like to put those things into the conversation discussions, so that we make sure we are staying tuned in with what our community needs.”

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