Torrance appeals to hometown crowd in final mayoral debate.
From left, Mississippi Mills' three candidates for mayor, Brenda Hurrle, John Levi and Jane Torrance, before the final debate at the Almonte Old Town Hall on Oct. 14.
Desmond Devoy
ALMONTE – Mississippi Mills mayoral candidate Jane Torrance told
a hometown audience in Almonte last night that her rivals for the mayor’s chair
“both want to share your revenue,” from the sale of locally-produced hydro
electricity.
She reiterated her position that Almonte would share the
hydro revenues, “after the promised obligations have been met,” but that “I
believe in a handshake,” of keeping a promise she made to Almonte voters that
the money should go to sewer and water repairs in Almonte.
Torrance’s
challenger Brenda Hurrle, a fellow town councillor, noted that she was in
favour of “open discussion,” on the hydro revenue issue, and that “open
discussion at the council table has not been permitted.”
The candidates were speaking at the final Mississippi Mills
mayoral debate at the Almonte
Old Town
Hall on Thursday, Oct. 14. Torrance singled out challenger John Levi in
her opening remarks, since Levi has stressed his business credentials during
the race.
“He wants to run Mississippi Mills as a business and we know
how well that worked for (Ottawa Mayor) Larry O’Brien,” said Torrance.
Levi, however, saw no problem with bringing business acumen
to the council table.
“I will not apologize for wanting to run in a business-like
manner,” Levi said.
Torrance
conceded that Levi had been able to attract businesses to Almonte, but that
most of them were tenants of buildings he owned.
“Most businesses coming in are going to be tenants of
someone,” said Levi, responding to Torrance’s
remarks later in the evening. “Somebody’s got to build it and I picked up the
hammer and I got it done,” he said of one building he had built in Almonte.
The debate was sponsored by The Hub and the Mississippi
Mills Chamber of Commerce.