• Break down silos to enhance service delivery.
• Streamline approvals and improve service to citizens and businesses.
• Bring transparency, consultation and accountability.
• Lead Peterborough into the future.

One of the largest challenges Peterborough’s municipal government faces is bureaucratic silos.  

Silos separate the public from the very people that are supposed to assist them. When silos exist there is a lack of shared vision, costs rise, and efficiency is reduced.

It is important to shape council into a functioning team and build trust and respect in the chamber. Council meetings need to be productive, where informed opinion is heard, and clear, thoughtful, and direct guidance is given.

City staff need to be empowered to work collaboratively in the interest of the people they serve.

And the City of Peterborough and Peterborough County— who should work together — often seem miles apart. The city cannot be an island. We need to work with the county on tourism, industry, housing, EMS, and other joint services. The city needs to build bridges — not silos — internally and with our neighbours in the county.

Another challenge – that is not unique to Peterborough – is that people don't trust their government, their institutions, or even the people running for office. This has to stop now. That's why, as mayor, Mike pledges to foster a "spirit of openness." He will make our local government more transparent and accountable to the public. City staff will be encouraged to draw upon local knowledge and the rich expertise that exists in the community whenever possible.

With 30 years of experience with all levels of government, Mike understands the importance of process, accountability, and public service. He intends to bring about change within the first two years:

YEAR ONE (2027)

• Act immediately on the results and recommendations of the city’s Efficiency Review — a study too important (and expensive) to be put on the shelf and collect dust.

• Immediately establish a key relationship with the CAO to outline mandate to address bureaucratic inertia and to be looking for areas of ongoing budget savings.

• Immediately work with council to form a collective vision for next four years and beyond. Create key priorities that will guide all policy decisions.

• Place emphasis on governance with city council; ensure decisions come from shared vision. 

• Review procedural bylaws, open up public consultation, tighten up governance expectations for mayor and council.

• Ensure council stays in its lane in terms of setting vision and city policy. Council should steer the boat, not row it.

• Create a “spirit of openness,” including clearer and more frequent communications with the public, more accountability including public dashboards citing key goals, performance indicators and number of goals met, increase access to key public documents that detail governance decisions and finance.

YEAR TWO (2028)

• Review existing Service Peterborough model and improve operations where necessary.

• Break down silos at all levels and encourage effective communication: among councillors, among city departments; among county and townships.

• All departments will have a designated officer to improve public service and inter-departmental communications.

• Create an overarching “public service” focus and empower and support city staff in their public service role.

• Ensure all service interactions between city and public have: clear expectations, clear timelines, and clear costs laid out in advance.

• Encourage opportunity over risk throughout city operations.

• Engage in more effective, genuine consultation with citizens —not surveys with leading questions.

• Develop a formalized blue-ribbon panel of local experts to be consulted on specific projects as required. We can harness the expertise of homegrown professionals who are not only subject matter experts in various fields, but who can frame solutions through their own experience living in Peterborough. This will reduce costly consultant fees and encouraged civic participation.

STRONG MAYOR POWERS

• Mike will reject the use of strong mayor powers to overrule the opinions of democratically-elected councillors.

• Mike will reject the use of strong mayor powers to dismiss city staff without agreement of council.

• Mike will consider the use of strong mayor powers that might benefit the city without affecting the democratic process. (For example, approving a budget before January is which automatically deemed a "strong mayor budget." Early budgeting can result in cost savings for the city, in getting tenders out sooner, potentially securing better prices for services, etc.)