In the municipal election on Sunday, November 2, Margaret Brunton is challenging two-term incumbent Tom Arnold for the mayor’s job in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge.

Brunton, a teacher and former naval logistics officer specializing in finance in the Canadian Armed Forces has two main priorities in her campaign. One is responsible financial management and ensuring every tax dollar is used wisely. The second priority is transparency and community support. She wants to ensure complete transparency in the awarding of municipal contracts and to actively support local entrepreneurs and initiatives.

With respect to financial management, Brunton is proposing to audit and explain municipal revenues, expenses, and budgets; make municipal financial records accessible; and to maintain a balanced budget in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge.

Aspects of emergency services Brunton would like to see improved include better 911 services, a walk-in clinic with a nurse practitioner, and better collaboration between fire, police, and ambulance services.

Roads and safety are common concerns in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge. Brunton is proposing to introduce a 40 kilometres per hour speed limit in residential areas, replace and/or install street signs, and to pursue roadside cleanup with better lighting and safety for cyclists.

If elected, Brunton is proposing to create a Mayor’s Podcast, encourage the preservation of greenspaces, tree planting, and waste reduction. She also wants to promote festivals, heritage, and culture.

In technological matters, Brunton would like to implement better municipal Internet and Wi-Fi and consider the use of smart tools for traffic and security.

During her military career, Brunton served in a variety of capacities at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden, Fleet School in Québec City, and Collège militaire royale de St-Jean. Following her release from the navy, Brunton relocated to Grenville where her husband operated a land surveying business, and she worked as a teacher with special needs students. She and her husband also temporarily relocated to Yellowknife where she also worked as a teacher before returning to the local area.

Advance poll day in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge is Sunday, October 26.