Michael Bond – Just Saying…

A new chapter, a new council, and a few things that make you go hmmm.

Well, folks, the election signs are coming down, the campaign is officially behind me, and I can finally stop thinking about election posts, door knocking, and whether I remembered to answer every message in my inbox!
For those of you who followed my blog before the municipal election, I’m back! And to everyone who started following along during the campaign, welcome aboard. Glad to have you here.

First, thank you to everyone who followed my campaign, shared my posts, asked questions, challenged my thinking, or simply took the time to have a conversation. Whether we agreed on everything or not, that’s what a community should be about.
Now that I’m no longer campaigning, I can get back to something else I enjoy: sharing my thoughts, looking at what’s happening around us, digging into interesting topics, and occasionally asking questions that make you stop and think.

And speaking of things to think about, let’s talk about what’s coming up for Chatham-Kent.

A New Mayor, A New Council… So, What Happens Now?

Michael Bondy has been elected the next mayor of Chatham-Kent, bringing his 16 years of experience on council into the mayor’s chair.
That’s a considerable amount of time around the horseshoe. He knows the municipality, should understand how things work, and has had a front-row seat to many of the decisions made over the years.
During the campaign, Bondy talked about reviewing municipal operations, finding savings and efficiencies, changing the way the budget is handled, and addressing our enormous infrastructure gap without continuing to pile excessive tax increases on residents.

Those are important issues, and I think many people will be watching closely to see how he follows through.
But here’s the thing: having experience is one thing. Using that experience to do things differently is another.
The voters have given him the opportunity. Now comes the hard part — turning campaign talking points into action.

Let’s look at a few things I’ll be watching.

1. The Budget: Let’s Not Rush This One!

The new council’s first major test will be the budget process, including the work on the 2027 budget update.
And this is where I hope we see a different approach right from the beginning.

First, I’d like to see Mayor-elect Bondy appoint someone new to chair the Budget Committee rather than simply continuing with the previous chair. A fresh set of eyes and a different approach might be exactly what’s needed.

Second, let’s give the budget the time and attention it deserves. I’m talking about a minimum of 10 days or more of dedicated budget discussions and review. Not necessarily 10 consecutive days sitting around a table, but enough properly scheduled time to go through the numbers, ask the hard questions, examine the options, and make informed decisions.
And here’s an important point: don’t just review the new spending requests. Review the base budget, too.

For anyone unfamiliar with the term, the base budget is essentially the starting point — the money already allocated to departments and existing services before new requests and adjustments are considered.
Just because something was funded last year doesn’t automatically mean it should be funded the same way this year.
Are we getting value for money? Are there duplicated services or unnecessary administrative costs? Are there opportunities to do things more efficiently? Are we still spending money on things that no longer deliver the same value?
These are questions worth asking.
Mayor-elect Bondy has already spoken about examining municipal operations with a fine-tooth comb to find savings and efficiencies. Good. Let’s see that approach reflected in the budget process.
And let’s be clear: this isn’t about making cuts just for the sake of making cuts. It’s about understanding where our money goes, what residents receive in return, and whether there are better ways to deliver services.
Taxpayers deserve to know what they’re paying for. They also deserve a council that can explain why the spending is necessary.

Let’s get the budget right, not just get it done.

2. The $160-Million Question: A New Arena

Here’s another big-ticket item that will be worth watching.

The Parks and Recreation Master Plan developed under the previous council includes a proposed new multi-use recreation complex in Chatham, with an estimated cost of around $160 million. The project is moving through the feasibility-study process, and Bondy has indicated that he expects a new arena project to move forward during this term of council.
Now, before anyone accuses me of being against recreation, let me stop you right there. I’m not. Recreation facilities matter. So do community programs, sports, and places where people can get together. These things have value.

But let’s put this into perspective.

Chatham-Kent is facing an estimated $2.66 billion infrastructure funding gap. Roads, bridges, water systems, stormwater infrastructure, and other essential assets need attention across the municipality.
So, how do we balance those needs? Before committing to a project of this size, I want to see the numbers, the alternatives, the long-term operating costs, and the impact on taxpayers. I want to know what it means for our existing facilities and what other projects could be delayed or squeezed out as a result.
We need to understand what we’re getting, how much it will actually cost over its lifetime, and how we’re going to pay for it.

A master plan is a starting point for decisions, not a reason to stop asking questions.

Plans developed by the previous council should be reviewed by the new council. If they still make sense, great. If circumstances, costs, or priorities have changed, then adjustments should be made.

A $160-million decision deserves more than a rubber stamp.

And if the new council decides the arena is the right investment, I want to see a clear explanation of why that project takes priority and how it fits into the bigger picture for all of CK. Because a shiny new facility won’t mean much to a resident whose road is falling apart if we haven’t figured out how to pay for both.

3. The Infrastructure Gap: Everyone Agrees It’s a Problem. Now What?

During the election, infrastructure came up repeatedly. Roads, bridges, drainage, water systems — the basics that keep our communities functioning.
There seemed to be plenty of agreement that this is a major problem. Well, that’s a good start. But agreeing there’s a problem and fixing it are two very different things. We can’t fix everything overnight, and no one should pretend otherwise. The price tag is simply too large. What we need is a realistic, transparent plan that identifies the most urgent needs, sets priorities, establishes timelines, and shows residents how projects will be funded.

And those priorities need to reflect the entire municipality.

Chatham-Kent isn’t just Chatham. We have communities, farms, businesses, and residents spread across a large geographic area. The needs of Wheatley, Tilbury, Merlin, Ridgetown, Wallaceburg, Dresden, Blenheim, and everywhere in between won’t always be the same. That doesn’t mean every community gets an equal dollar amount every year. It means decisions should be based on need, risk, fairness, and the long-term benefit to the municipality. And if a project needs to be delayed, explain why. If one community must wait while another gets its infrastructure repaired, explain the reasoning. People may not always like the answer, but they’re more likely to understand it when they can see how the decision was made.

4. Regional Citizen Committees: A Good Idea, But What Will They Actually Do?

Another idea discussed during the election was creating regional or ward-based citizen committees to give residents more direct input into municipal decisions. Personally, I like the idea of finding better ways to get residents involved before decisions are made.
But the details matter.
Would these committees be advisory groups? Would they review local infrastructure priorities, budgets, community concerns, or proposed projects? How would members be selected? Would meetings be public? And, most importantly, how would council be expected to respond to their recommendations? There’s no point setting up a committee, asking residents to volunteer their time, and then putting their recommendations on a shelf to collect dust.
If these committees are going to work, they need a clear purpose, meaningful access to information, and a genuine connection to council’s decision-making process. They also need to be representative of the communities they’re meant to serve.
I’d like to see the new council explore this idea seriously, determine what’s practical, and develop a model that gives residents a meaningful voice without creating another layer of bureaucracy.
The goal should be better decisions, not simply more meetings.

5. The Election Results Tell Us Something

Let’s take a quick look at the election itself.

Michael Bondy received 15,818 votes, representing approximately 43.4% of the votes cast in the mayoral race. Voter turnout was approximately 40.8%, based on the unofficial results reported after election night.
What does that tell us?
Well, Bondy won the election, and he deserves the opportunity to lead. That’s how our democratic system works. But approximately 56.6% of the votes cast for mayor went to other candidates. And with turnout below 41%, roughly six out of every ten eligible voters didn’t cast a ballot.
That means the new mayor has an opportunity — and, in my opinion, a responsibility — to reach beyond the people who voted for him.

The election is over. The campaigning is over. Now the job is to represent everyone.

We have people who wanted change, people who preferred the previous direction, and people who may have felt that none of the candidates really spoke to them. Those differences don’t disappear because the ballots have been counted.

The challenge now is to bring people together around the things we can agree on.

We all want our communities to be safe. We want roads and infrastructure that work. We want responsible spending, reliable services, and a municipality that plans for the future. We may disagree about how to get there, but surely we can agree that these are worthwhile goals.
That’s where the new mayor needs to start.

6. A New Council With Some Familiar Faces

There were some interesting outcomes in the councillor races, too.

With a record number of candidates running across Chatham-Kent, vote splitting was always going to be a possibility. In some races, candidates with similar messages may have ended up competing for the same group of voters, while other candidates benefited from a more divided field. The result is a council with seven returning incumbents, one former councillor returning after sitting out the previous term, and six newcomers.
That’s a mix of experience and fresh perspectives. And honestly, I think both are needed.
The returning councillors bring institutional knowledge. They know the history behind decisions, understand the processes, and have experience navigating municipal government. The new councillors bring different perspectives, new questions, and potentially different ways of looking at old problems.

But here’s what matters most: they all need to work together.

Every councillor will have their own ward priorities, as they should. They’re elected to represent their residents and bring their concerns to the table.
However, once they sit down around that horseshoe, their responsibility extends beyond their own ward.
They are there to make decisions in the best interests of all of Chatham-Kent. That means listening to one another, debating the issues, asking difficult questions, and being willing to compromise when necessary. It also means recognizing that just because an idea didn’t come from you doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea.
I know, I know. That last one might be asking a lot of politicians! LOL.
But seriously, this council has an opportunity to demonstrate that different opinions don’t have to lead to division and that working together doesn’t mean everyone has to agree on everything.
Let’s hope they take advantage of it.

7. Communication: Tell Us Before, Not After!

If there’s one thing I heard repeatedly during the campaign, it was that people want better communication from their municipal government.

And I couldn’t agree more.

Too often, residents hear about a decision after it’s already been made. Important information isn’t always easy to find, and when people don’t have the facts, rumours and assumptions can fill the gap. Before you know it, we’re playing a giant game of telephone, and by the time the story reaches the other end, the original message has been completely changed. We’ve all seen it happen.
Now, to be fair, not every municipal decision requires a public meeting or a community-wide consultation. There are rules, timelines, and situations where council has to make decisions within certain limits. But where a decision has a significant impact on a community, residents should have a reasonable opportunity to understand what’s being considered, ask questions, and provide input when appropriate.
And once a decision is made, explain it. Why was that option chosen? What alternatives were considered? What will it cost? Who will be affected? What’s the next step? These shouldn’t be unreasonable questions.

I’d also like to see information presented in plain language. Not everyone has the time or desire to read a 200-page report filled with technical terminology just to figure out what’s happening in their own community. Make the information accessible. Share it early. Be honest about the challenges. And if something changes, tell people.
Communication isn’t just about sending out a news release or posting a link to a council agenda.

It’s about making sure residents understand what’s happening and why.

Let’s hope the new council makes that a priority.

The First 90 Days Will Be Interesting

Once the new council is sworn in and gets down to business, the first 90 days should tell us quite a bit about the direction we’re heading. I’m particularly interested in seeing how the budget process unfolds, what happens with the proposed arena, how the infrastructure gap is addressed, and whether we see real movement on better public engagement.
Of course, the Christmas break will interrupt the calendar a little. It is that time of year, after all. But the work doesn’t disappear just because the decorations go up and everyone starts arguing about whether Christmas music should be played before December 1st.

For the record, I’m not taking a position on that one just yet. I don’t want to start another controversy before we’ve even dealt with the budget!

Joking aside, these first few months will give us a good indication of whether the new council is prepared to question existing practices, review previous plans, and make decisions based on clear priorities.
I’ll be watching, and I’ll be sharing my thoughts along the way. Not because I expect everything to change overnight, but because residents have every right to pay attention to how their municipality is being run. And yes, I’ll be asking questions.

So, What Can You Expect From Me Going Forward?

Now that the campaign is behind me, this blog and the newly re-named Facebook page, Michael Bond – Just Saying, will return to being what I originally intended them to be. Not a councillor’s page – in case you weren’t aware, I was not successful in winning a seat this time around. Absolutely not an official municipal information service. Just me, sharing my thoughts and observations as a resident. Municipal politics will certainly be part of it, especially when something happens that I think deserves a closer look. I’ll share my opinions, ask questions, and encourage discussion.
But it won’t all be about municipal politics. There may be provincial or federal politics thrown into the mix. LOL. There will also be interesting facts, history, things that make you go hmmm, and the occasional bit of silly stuff that might make you smile or scratch your head.
Sometimes I’ll have something worth writing about every few days. Other times, life will get busy, work will take over, or I simply won’t have anything that I feel needs to be said. I’m not going to post just for the sake of posting. My goal is to share things that are interesting, useful, thought-provoking, or just plain entertaining.

I hope you’ll read along, share the posts you find interesting, and join the conversation. You don’t have to agree with everything I write. In fact, respectful disagreement can make for some of the best discussions. Just bring your thoughts, keep an open mind, and let’s try to learn something from one another along the way.

One Last Thing Before I Go…

Halloween is just around the corner, so enjoy the spooky season, keep an eye out for the little ghosts and goblins making their rounds, and try not to eat all the Halloween candy before the kids get there. And if you’re already thinking about Christmas, congratulations — you’ve officially skipped an entire month! LOL.
For everyone else, don’t worry. The stores will remind us soon enough.

Thanks again to everyone who followed along during the campaign, and welcome to those who are joining me for this next chapter. The election may be over, but there’s still plenty to talk about. I’ll keep an eye on what’s happening around us, share what I find interesting, and every now and then ask a question or two that might get you thinking. Because sometimes, all it takes is looking at something from a different angle. And sometimes, you just have to say it.
Just saying…

Just saying…