Tom Clifford will not seek re-election in October.
Clifford, 75, provided Stratford with a wealth of experience as a city councillor. The time has come to step away, he said.
“I love being on council,” he told StratfordToday. “It is a privilege.”
Clifford is a local business owner and well-known for keeping a sharp eye on spending. He chaired council’s finance and labour relations subcommittee for a number of years.
Clifford said city council has evolved since he was first elected.
Social issues are much more prevalent and the younger generation of councillors are concerned and bringing the topics to council chambers, which is a good thing, he said.
“You want a good cross section on council. You don’t want all business people, but you don’t want all teachers, either. We have had councils with good representation from all walks – you won’t get the type of input you need if you don’t have a good mix.”
Describing himself as a ‘taxes and potholes’ guy, Clifford said councillors should be non-partisan and work together to solve city business, regardless of political leanings.
“What I found, the most important thing, is you are going to get a lot of people that disagree with you, but if you can get people’s respect, you will do okay.”
Clifford has been a member of council for some big achievements.
Bringing a University of Waterloo stand-alone campus to Stratford was among the biggest accomplishments, he said.
“Bringing the university to Stratford was absolutely huge.”
Wilfred Laurier University’s presence in downtown Brantford is an example of what Stratford could become, he said.
“You will see how it will change the city."
The arrival of the RBC Data Centre – and with it significant tax revenue – was another achievement Clifford noted, and praised Stratford mayor Dan Mathieson for his work in getting that done.
Clifford, a councillor on and off for 25 years, recalled some topics would get the public highly engaged.
There was contentious public feedback and debate about where Walmart should build, he recalled. The city ultimately lost a legal fight and Walmart built in its current east end location.
But the company donated back legal fees to the city, to be used for a civic project, paving the way for what would become the Market Square redevelopment in the downtown core.
Clifford said the Xinyi Canada glass plant proposal, a more recent project, which ultimately did not move ahead, stirred up emotions like no other.
The $400 million facility would have created hundreds of jobs but Xinyi Canada Glass suspended the project. The provincial government agreed to a city council request to revoke a ministerial zoning order (MZO) that would have helped clear the way for development.
“The glass plant was the most emotionally-involved item I think any councillor has been involved with. I have never seen anything like that. People thought we kept things in secret but land negotiations are behind closed doors.”
The city has seen good growth in recent years and a boom in new home development.
Clifford noted new home building projects in the city’s northwest are the biggest he has seen on council and, with other ongoing new builds, the city should see some population growth.
“We have really opened up a lot of development in the city.”
If there was some disappointment, the former finance chair pointed to the city’s 7.6 per cent tax levy increase, passed in February.
Clifford and Coun. Cody Sebben voted against it.
The tax levy is the amount of money the city requires from taxpayers to fund programs and services.
Council had some pricey projects and some of them, notably the Queen Street trunk sewer project, were above budgeted cost, he said.
“There were a lot of expenses this time around.”
Clifford said he is well aware that the city has to spend money on projects, but said he has never seen anything like the most recent tax levy increase in his years on council.
“We didn’t even work to get it down. There wasn’t a political will. There simply wasn’t. Believe me I talked to everyone and I tried my very best. I was extremely disappointed.”
Clifford said over the years he has tried to be as accessible as possible for citizens, noting that if a streetlight wasn’t working, he would find out why and get back to the person that inquired.
Ultimately, he will step away after the forthcoming election with a sense of accomplishment.
“It is a privilege to serve the people.”
For more on the October civic election in Stratford, click on our 2022 MUNICIPAL ELECTION NEWS TAB
