Do You Feel that Our City Council is "Living in a Different World" ? Are You Appalled by the Mayor's behavior during Public Question Period? Are You Frustrated by Council continually approving new positions at City Hall? Do want to see an end to the annual tax increases that ignore our Ability to Pay? Do you want to see representation from those who are struggling in this economy? Are you against on spending $$$ on the Art Gallery while our unhoused are ignored? Do you want to see Change at city hall that 'Right-Sizes' the Management Team?

Insanity: "Doing the Same Thing Election after Election and Expecting a Different Result"

For over 30 years, Owen Sound residents have gone to the polls every four years, choosing from a limited pool of candidates—hoping to elect a council that listens to the public, understands that more than half of residents are struggling financially, and has the vision and competence to create real change.

But this strategy has failed—and will continue to fail—until we broaden the candidate pool to include individuals who recognize the deep disconnect between the city's priorities and its residents' needs. There is something fundamentally wrong with spending $25 million on an art gallery that few residents visit, while basic necessities—like accessible washrooms for the unhoused—are neglected.

The primary goal of this forum is to gauge community interest in working collaboratively to change the current makeup of Owen Sound’s City Council. The initiative would focus on identifying individuals who believe that City Council should more accurately reflect the population it serves and prioritize the needs of residents. Once identified, these individuals would be encouraged to attend council meetings leading up to the next election—and ultimately consider running for office.

Over the past year, many Owen Sound residents have expressed growing frustration with a City Council they feel has become disconnected from the community. This sentiment is perhaps most clearly demonstrated by the Mayor’s conduct at the council table. His frequent displays of anger and frustration—particularly when residents exercise their right to ask questions during public question period—have become a recurring issue. He regularly interrupts speakers long before their allotted five minutes, a clear violation of the Procedural Bylaw. Disturbingly, no member of council has spoken out or attempted to hold him accountable. Although the Code of Conduct requires all councillors to uphold the city’s bylaws, his colleagues consistently remain silent in the face of his disrespectful and dismissive behavior.

More recently, council has approved the creation of additional staff positions, even though Owen Sound’s population is smaller today than it was decades ago. Over the past 30 years, the size of the municipal workforce has grown significantly—now 30% larger than the average of eight comparable municipalities. Despite this, council continues to expand the bureaucracy while the city’s population declines.

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