My Priorities for Tiny

As most residents know, Tiny Council consists of five elected individuals, each with one vote. The Mayor does not have special powers when it comes to making municipal decisions, and there are no formal political platforms at the municipal level. The Mayor’s role is to provide leadership, build consensus and represent the interests of Tiny.

Beginning with the next term, the Mayor will also be Tiny’s sole representative on Simcoe County Council — where many important regional decisions are made and where a significant portion of our tax dollars are allocated. That responsibility makes the choice of Mayor particularly important.

My personal positions are straightforward:

Transparency & Accountability

Residents have a right to understand how decisions are made, what they will cost and why Council has chosen a particular course of action. I believe Council should operate openly, provide clear information to residents and be accountable for the decisions it makes. Transparency should not be something residents have to demand — it should be the standard.

Fiscal Responsibility

Municipal government is spending residents’ money, and every dollar deserves careful consideration. We need to distinguish between what we would like to do and what we can responsibly afford to do. Major expenditures, borrowing and long-term financial commitments should be evaluated with an eye to both today’s taxpayers and future generations.

More Compromise, Less Litigation

Not every disagreement needs to end up in a courtroom. Litigation is expensive, time-consuming and ultimately paid for by taxpayers. I believe Council should make every reasonable effort to resolve disputes through communication, negotiation and compromise before resorting to legal action. Good government means finding solutions, not simply winning arguments.

Town Hall Meetings for Major Undertakings

When Council is considering a major undertaking that could significantly affect residents, there should be meaningful opportunities for the public to hear the proposal, ask questions and provide input before decisions are finalized. Town Hall meetings can help ensure residents are informed and give Council the benefit of local knowledge and perspectives.

A Strategic Plan Shaped by Residents

Tiny’s strategic plan should not simply be a document produced by Council and staff. It should reflect the priorities of the people who live here. I believe residents should have a meaningful opportunity to help identify the issues and priorities that will guide Council over the coming term — and Council should then be accountable for delivering on those priorities.

Responsible Taxation

Property taxes are one of the largest expenses facing many households. My goal would be to keep annual tax increases to no more than the rise in the cost of living wherever reasonably possible, while maintaining the services residents depend on. Achieving that requires disciplined budgeting, careful prioritization and a willingness to challenge spending that cannot be justified.

Protecting Our Environment

Tiny’s environment is one of our greatest assets and one of our greatest responsibilities. Our shoreline, wetlands, forests, agricultural lands, waterways and natural areas contribute to the character and quality of life that make Tiny special. Environmental protection needs to be considered in every major decision about development, infrastructure and growth.

Better Relations with Our Neighbours

Tiny does not exist in isolation. We share roads, infrastructure, environmental challenges, economic interests and regional issues with neighbouring municipalities and Simcoe County. I believe we need stronger working relationships with our neighbours — looking for opportunities to cooperate, share resources and solve regional problems together rather than allowing municipal boundaries to become barriers.

Leadership Through Collaboration

Being Mayor isn’t about having the loudest voice or getting your own way. It is about bringing five elected representatives together, listening to residents, working with staff and finding common ground. I intend to lead by listening, by seeking compromise where possible and by standing firmly for responsible decisions when it matters.

In addition there are areas I would like to focus on:

I believe that council meetings are not the proper venue for soliciting public input or handling individual grievances. Their purpose is to conduct the business of the township. I personally believe that an arbitration process should be implemented to handle individual complaints by residents and focussed Town Hall meetings arranged to solicit input on major issues. There needs to be two-way conversation, and council meetings do not provide that opportunity.

I would also like to reduce the number of closed-door sessions. In the two previous councils one could count the number of closed-door sessions on one hand. Over the most recent term some 37 closed sessions took place with 32 including legal advice.

The most recent strategic plan was developed without public input which was certainly a sign of things to come. Obviously public input should have been sought, and I would push to have that implemented for the new strategic plan.

Although I appreciate Councillor Walma’s desire to address raising revenues, I do not believe that this is the way to go and was surprised that council supported his move to request the province to give the municipality the power to do so.

A number of local community associations and FoTTSA provided delegations to council over the years to address speeding on Tiny Beaches Road primarily. The decision to implement an across the board 40 K. limit was welcomed but with the increase in paved roads and elimination of natural speed bumps, speed enforcement has become a major concern. Traffic calming measures need to be addressed immediately.

The STR by-law developed by the previous council was adopted by the current council and until recently was caught up in a legal battle with the responsible STR owners of Tiny who sought to have the by-law dismissed. They were unsuccessful and the Township awarded costs. That being said, the STR program continues to operate at a loss meaning taxpayers are subsidizing the program. I believe the program needs some serious modifications if it is to be either self funded or a revenue generator for the Township.

Only 25% of Tiny is on municipal water primarily fed by wells with the remainder primarily on private wells. A Master Water Plan was recently developed yet there has been no open discussion on how it might be progressed or financed. This is another major expense facing tax payers.

The Federation of Tiny Township Shoreline Associations states on its website that it owns no land and takes no partisan position on beach access issues. It is an umbrella organization, representing member associations whose individual situations differ radically one to the next.

The key principle which the Federation strongly supports is that decisions about beach access issues should be determined by those directly involved, on an informed basis, without coercion or confrontation. No mandated or “one size fits all” approach should be imposed.

The general purpose of the Federation of Tiny Township Shoreline Associations is to provide a township-wide basis for the affiliation of associations of individual ratepayers who own properties containing a seasonal residential dwelling or a residential dwelling in those parts of the Township of Tiny in the County of Simcoe designated “Shoreline Residential” in the Official Plan of the Township.

As President of LASHA I sat as a Director on the FoTTSA Board for a two-year term. I formed the Governance Committee and acted as chair during that period. I can truthfully say that FoTTSA has absolutely no influence on council other than to provide a united front for its members. Over 50% of the residents in FoTTSA member associations are not beach-front front property owners.

In 2025 the Province decided to reduce Simcoe County Council in half by giving each municipality only one representative and appointing a Warden with strong mayor powers. This is basically a done deal, and one can only hope that the appointed Head of Council is experienced in such a role and has local knowledge.

The County of Simcoe receives the bulk of our annual tax dollars (35%) and I believe that closer scrutiny of their activities should be the priority of the mayor. Under the new provincial legislation only the mayors of the 16 municipalities will vote on council with the head of council appointed by the province. It is crucial that Tiny have its voice heard and its interests protected.

One item that was on the Committee of the Whole agenda in August 2023 was the request by councillor Walma for a report on the Goessman Lots. See Goessman Backgrounder in Appendix.

I have no idea why this issue was resurrected and why the assumption of these lots was necessary if they were already defined as public lands.

There has been so much secrecy about this issue it is extremely difficult to voice an opinion. If had been my decision, I would have voted to let sleeping dogs lie. However, I have no idea what commitments current council have already made and what can be done.

IIn 2025, council appointed the Ad Hoc Citizens Committee on Council Remuneration (AHCCCR) to review council remuneration for the next term of council (2026 – 2030). Following is an excerpt from the report summary.

The final report proposes a remuneration framework for municipal council members that reflects the unique nature of elected office. It aims to balance public value, democratic accessibility, and fiscal responsibility without relying on flawed market comparables or employment-based assumptions.

The proposed remuneration structure consists of a base stipend supplemented by per diem payments for council-directed activities, with both components benchmarked to the prevailing local living wage. It is a framework that can be applied to future councils and takes into account changes in market conditions, including Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), as well as any necessary adjustments to the role of council members.

AHCCCR recommends that council members continue to receive or be reimbursed for group insurance benefits, mileage, internet & cell phone, training, courses and conferences and meals and accommodations, which are administered under separate policies. Lastly, the AHCCCR recommends that OMERS pension contributions be discontinued.

Council dismissed the recommendations outright and the mayor directed staff to come back with a recommendation based on comparables and including OMERS pension. This report from staff has yet to surface.

My position is that the report and recommendations were well founded and it should have been adopted.

Tiny finally completed its Asset Management Plan as required by the province and put in place an asset management staff position.

The Gordian report was presented to council in the context of completing the Townships Asset Management Plan (AMP) in October 2024. To my knowledge, none of the contents related to facilities have been included in the AMP. It was also presented to council by an experienced resident that much of the content was not reliable. I believe a follow up is necessary.

This report was presented to council in January 2023, received and quickly shelved by the CAO. One can only assume that it did not reflect his personal views of how the organization should function or support the case for the new administration building. My opinion is that a $50 K. study should have been fully reviewed and recommendations acted upon.

A staff compensation study was carried out by the previous council which saw the creation of new titles and increased pay rates across the board. The report on this was presented publicly to council. In 2025, an additional compensation study costing over $24 K. was completed and presented to council behind closed doors. Need I say more?

I do not believe it is the responsibility of the Township to be fundraising for charities although I do believe their efforts should be supported in non-financial ways. Eg. Flag raising/proclamations/facility use/etc. I would like to look at transferring the annual golf tournament to a volunteer group, eliminate the committee and relieve staff of the responsibilities. I do believe we should continue support of groups that provide seniors programs.

My Vision

The following are what I would like to see happening during the first year of council. I realize that there are many issues to address but focussing on priorities is essential.

Potential Application of AI

I would like to see how AI could be adopted in Tiny to enhance service delivery, streamline operations, and improve community engagement. Drafting council minutes, triaging resident emails, summarizing public consultation submissions, and automating back-office workflows are just some of the tasks that can be addressed. The adoption of AI would not only increase staff capacity but also build resident trust by ensuring that AI is used deliberately and transparently. AI could assist the Township to deliver more with fewer staff and tighter budgets by giving them the tools to focus on the priority of serving residents and the community.

Township Governance

The entire governance of the Township needs to be reviewed, and the implementation of a Ward System be investigated. Having three out of five council members living within earshot of each other in Balm Beach certainly brings objectivity into question. And, given that the Deputy Mayor is no longer a member of County Council, I would propose this position be an elected councillor chosen by Township council annually.

In addition I would propose new Committees:

A new Finance & Audit Committee to address financial reporting, audits, asset management and budgeting.

I would propose a public survey to get feedback on the forming of ad hoc committees on:

  • beach access and mapping;
  • the shoreline by-law;
  • STR by-law and program management;
  • septage management;
  • alternative revenue generation;
  • primary health care;
  • French heritage preservation;
  • other

Town Halls

I would propose Town Hall meetings be set up in 2027 to address:

  • the facility needs of the Township;
  • 2026-2030 Strategic Plan

Find out how you can help Chuck change Tiny

Much of this is common sense. if you find yourself agreeing with me, then think about how you can help with the campaign. It doesn’t need to be much, but if many do their part our town thrives.