BarrieToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is from Barrie resident and former Simcoe County warden Gerry Marshall, who also ran provincially for the Liberals in 2018. He is also a former mayor of Penetanguishene.
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In June’s provincial election, we in Barrie, Springwater and Oro-Medonte (BSOM) have an opportunity to choose proven, progressive leadership.
While voters in Barrie’s north recognize the hard work Mayor Jeff Lehman has done to support business and create jobs and opportunities for Barrie, those in Springwater and Oro-Medonte might not be aware of some of the extremely important things Jeff has been part of that benefit their communities.
The LINX Transit system that connects Springwater to Barrie and Oro-Medonte to Barrie is a direct result of Jeff working with Simcoe County staff and myself when I served as warden. Jeff spearheaded the effort that resulted in the LINX network being able to leverage the resources of and integrate with the Barrie transit system. This system now gives residents from Springwater and Oro-Medonte better access to employment opportunities in Barrie, to educational opportunities at Georgian College and to medical appointments at RVH, along with shopping and entertainment.
This transit partnership also allows Barrie residents to pursue educational opportunities at Lakehead University in Orillia. Jeff had the vision to work to link our communities and their resources for the benefit of us all.
While I was Simcoe County warden, Jeff and I met regularly to discuss how the county and the city could best work together. Jeff recognized that healthy vibrant neighbouring communities benefited not only those communities but the entire region.
Jeff worked with the county on challenging and essential regional items such as affordable housing, long-term care, tourism and paramedic rapid response.
Jeff also worked to help businesses grow – whether they were inside or outside of Barrie. Again, Jeff could see that people and jobs cross borders. Napoleon Home Comfort, headquartered in Oro-Medonte, for example, benefitted from Jeff’s advocacy work with the provincial and federal governments.
With his commitment to building a better life for all of us in BSOM, Jeff has my full support both as a former political colleague and as a current Barrie resident.
A vote for Jeff is a vote for progressive thoughtful leadership, the type of leadership our riding and our province require.
Gerry Marshall
Barrie
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