Over the next week, BradfordToday will be highlighting the candidates in the Ward 2 by-election taking place Nov. 27 - Dec. 7.
Long time Bradford resident Jonathan Scott is running in the upcoming Ward 2 by-election and says he is excited about the potential opportunity to help contribute to the town’s growth and development.
Scott moved to Bradford from Toronto with his family when he was just three years old.
“Ward 2 has been my backyard since I was a kid; it’s home,” he said about his soft-spot for the older section of town.
From piano lessons on Britannia Avenue, swimming and lifeguarding at Lion’s Park pool, to hockey games at the old arena, Ward 2 is where Scott was able to make his first connections within the Bradford community.
Scott has always taken an interest in town politics, writing political columns in local newspapers since he was in high school. He is an entrepreneur with his own consulting business. He is also a member of Bradford's Library Board and helped run Mayor Rob Keffer’s campaigns in 2014 and 2018.
“I like fixing things, and that’s what my career is as a consultant, getting results for my clients," he said.
When Coun. Gary Baynes passed away this past summer, Scott knew whoever was going to take his spot on council had big shoes to fill.
It wasn’t until the family of Baynes approached him, encouraging him to run for the vacant Ward 2 seat, that he decided to put his name in the hat.
“Gary had such depth of experience, as someone who was in business and knew how to budget,” he said. “It was quite an honour to have Gary Baynes’ family encourage me to run and the more I thought about it, the more I got excited by it.”
He wants to continue Baynes' legacy in helping the residents of Ward 2.
“A lot of people in Ward 2 feel like they are overlooked in favour of the newer end of town”, he explained adding that he would like to help get the projects already slated for the ward completed.
With the by-election happening halfway through the term of council, and the town budget forming just after the election, Scott says it’s important to have a Ward 2 councillor who isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions and someone who knows what the issues are.
"And most importantly gets results,” he said.
He says Baynes accomplished a lot for the ward during his time on council, such as the repaving of roads and sidewalks, but notes there is still more to be done, especially for the parks.
“Taylor Park could be a lot more than it is right now,” he said. “It’s a perfectly fine park but it’s a huge property and I think there’s an opportunity to really add to it.”
What he is most excited about is getting to sit on the Downtown Revitalization Committee.
“There’s no reason why our downtown can’t be as good as Main Street Newmarket,” he said, noting the many local businesses in town. “I think we’ve come along way but kicking it to the next level is exciting.”
The base of his platform is keeping property taxes low, especially now due to COVID-19.
“I think we should be starting from the premise that we shouldn’t raise taxes period next year,” he said.
At the same time, he says now is a good opportunity to invest and revitalize the downtown and the Bradford Community Centre.
In terms of traffic, he says it’s important to continue working with MPP Caroline Mulroney on the Bradford Bypass project, and improving the GO Train station.
He says his past experiences working with the government will give him an advantage if elected on council.
“I know how the government works but I also know how to work with the government to get things done,” he said.
As a community volunteer, and someone with a small business in town he is proud of what he has contributed to Bradford so far.
In his role on the library board this year, he helped modernize it with new technologies and materials. He was also proud of the board's work in having all late fees waived for the rest of the year.
When he sat on the school board as a student trustee in 2007/2008, he was involved in the renovation and expansion of Bradford District High School. He was also instrumental in delivering The Elden Retirement Residence to Bradford in 2019.
One of his proudest accomplishments to date is helping to get the Bradford Bypass back on track with the province five years ago.
“I think it’s important that Ward 2 voters have someone who can hit the ground running on day one,” he said. “There’s a real sense that Gary was getting things done and we can’t lose that momentum."
He is excited at the possibility of doing even more for the residents of Bradford and in particular those living in Ward 2.
Scott has been campaigning hard, knocking on every door in the Ward, chatting with residents about their concerns and letting them know about his candidacy and platform.
“I’m reaching out and trying to earn people’s support,” he said, “but you have to earn people’s trust and earn their vote and I’m working every day to do that.”
To learn more about Scott's campaign, visit his website here, and Facebook page here.
