Steering Committee Openings

Thursday, 1 May 2014 14:27

Applications are being accepted now for positions which will help influence decisions in securing the County's future.

WOODSTOCK -- Oxford County is giving you the opportunity to guide the municipality into a brighter future.

Applications are now being accepted for those with a keen interest in their community, along with social, environmental or financial expertise to join a new County-Wide Sustainability Committee. Applicants will help influence decisions that secure they County's future, including new landfill development, source water protection, caring for an aging population, waste management and other concerns.

County CAO Peter Crockett says members of the Steering Committee will be appointed in June based on membership recommendations by an Ad Hoc Committee made up of local mayors and councillors.

"We're looking for people who have got an interest in all aspects of sustainability; financial, social and environmental."

Crockett says they will be looking for a community, grassroots prospective.

"Sustainability is all about trying to balance the financial needs of the community with the social needs of a community and the environmental needs of the community. The goal being to find the ideal balance where quality of life surrounds us if you will."

Crockett described the committee member's role, if they're selected by the Ad Hoc committee.

"The role of that committee is going to be from a community grassroots perspective, help to define what do we mean by sustainability and help us define what questions we should be asking ourselves when making major decisions within the community."

Applications for membership on a County-wide Sustainability Committee are being accepted now until May 16th, 2014. Applicants should be Oxford County residents with knowledge or experience in areas that impact quality of life in our communities for generations to come, including social issues, culture, health and wellness, environmental issues, seniors’ issues, youth issues, business and finance, rural issues or urban development. All Committee appointments are initially for a one-year term.

Members of the Steering Committee will be appointed in June based on membership recommendations by an Ad Hoc Committee, which includes Warden Don McKay and Deputy Warden Margaret Lupton; County Councillors Ted Comiskey, Marion Wearn and Pat Sobeski; and local area municipal Councillors Mel Getty (Tillsonburg), Pat Lee (Norwich) and Ron Sackrider (South-West Oxford).

County Council approved funding on March 26 for an external resource to expedite work on the Community Sustainability Plan, which will also be supported by staff from each of Oxford’s area municipalities. A report on action items from the Steering Committee is targeted for July 2014.

For more information visit: www.oxfordcounty.ca/speakup