Councillor Mike Perry works to balance growth and small-town charm in Ward 3

This is the third in an anticipated eight-part series where Kawartha Lakes Weekly is sitting down with councillors from all eight wards about the issues most important to their residents.

Ward 3 Councillor Mike Perry has a hope. The first-time councillor says that as the community grows he hopes it can maintain the small town feel that residents appreciate.

He’s noticed that Fenelon Falls has broken away from its image as just a retirement community, and to him, it’s a good thing. “The small-town lifestyle, the environment, all of those really great advantages, a slower pace, but also interconnectivity and broadband has increased. So, people can bring a career here, do a lot of work from home, be online as needed.”

Meeting with Kawartha Lakes Weekly in Ken Reid Conservation’s dog park with his canine companion, Murray and children Abby and Gabe, Perry says that their internet connection in the summer would always slow down around three or four o’clock on a Friday afternoon. It would then pick back up on Sunday afternoons when all the tourists and cottagers headed back to the city. Part of his campaign was to help the internet system improve by increasing cell towers.

“We’ve had two (put up) while I’ve been the councillor, and a couple more in the pipeline.”

With this growth, there are a lot of social infrastructures that he has to make sure are in place. He’s been working on getting storm drainage and sump pumps disconnected from the sewage system. There have been past issues with sewage coming in with rainstorm water into the wastewater treatment plants in Fenelon and Lindsay.

“I was really pleased I was able, with my councillor colleagues’ support, to pass a bylaw that helps people if disconnecting their sump pump or their drain spout from the sewer,” Perry said. He explains that if excavating is required, residents now they won’t have to pay a fee for a building permit.

The number one concern he had been hearing from constituents across his ward, which includes Fenelon Falls and Cameron, was the roads, and now it’s turned to speeding. “It’s endemic across Kawartha Lakes. It’s a frustrating one because, at the end of the day, it’s human behaviour. We have to slow down. How do we change human behaviour?”

Throughout his ward, digital signs have been installed that show people what their speed is, and speed limits have been reduced from 50 to 40. “We’re in the process of costing some photo radar, part of a regional program, kind of a group buy to get the cost down,” Perry said.

While there are these issues that have to be addressed, “I’ve really enjoyed that part, being able to be that voice at the council table for people,” he said. His goal as councillor is to make sure that when introducing these new policies, there are no unintended consequences for residences.

When it comes to what he loves about his ward, there’s a long list but he finds that “you can’t beat the view along Long Beach Road in Cameron. We have the dog park here, and Ken Reid Conservation.” He finds it’s just a beautiful place to live.