Randy Hope to seek third term

Chatham-Kent’s incumbent mayor has full intentions of seeking a third term.

Randy Hope told the Sydenham Current he plans on filing his papers in the fall.

“I have every intention of running, nothing has changed my mind,” Hope said. “I will probably file my papers the first part of September.”

Hope added: “I made it perfectly clear in 2006, I knew it was going to take a long time to change what was going on. I didn’t expect the stock market and others to crash. In 2006, I said I would serve up to 12 years, which is three terms.

Hope said he believes it takes time to develop a strong community.

“I knew it would take some time to diversify our industry,” he said. “I believe there are more things we need to do. I believe we’re on the path to recovery.”

Hope said he is happy with the outcome the past few years in Wallaceburg.

“I take a look at what has gone on especially in the community of Wallaceburg, we had a lot of empty facilities when I took office,” he said. “Those are being filled, other than those that are contaminated, they are being filled. The Vannatter plants, those areas are all filled, Waltec, all filled. It has been a positive result.”

Hope said he feels he has done what he was elected to do.

“I hope that my actions have spoken very loud,” Hope said. “I work hard. You don’t see me in the coffee shops a lot, but I don’t think that is what the people elected me to do. They elected me to carry a message far and wide across the world about Chatham-Kent. The opportunities that exist here, put deals together, make tough decisions, some that are not always pleased by everybody, but I will make a decision that benefits the community as a whole of Chatham-Kent.”

Hope said work needs to be done, if a zero per cent tax increase is to become a reality.

“If we don’t get industries and others investing in Chatham-Kent then we will have more serious problems,” he said. “You can’t do nothing. I hear about zero per cent tax increases, the only way for me to get a zero per cent tax increase is to make sure I am increasing those other two elements, creating investments in commercial and industrial and increasing population here. If you don’t do any of them, coming up with a zero per cent tax increase, you have to close things, and we all know how that goes over.”

Hope said he intends to keep promoting C-K as a good place to do business.

“I do believe we are on the road to recovery through the hard work, not only of myself, but of staff and others who’ve taken leadership roles, we’ve been able to get Chatham-Kent on the map,” he said. “Before I took office, we were not well received in the business world and others as a place to do business. Today, that has changed.”

Currently, no one has officially filed their papers for the mayor’s chair in C-K.

Election day is Oct. 27.