Lloyd jumps into the Ward 6 race

September 3, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Mark Pavilons
A Schomberg man is entering the political arena, offering to bring a fresh perspective to the King council table.
Simon Lloyd is running in Ward 6, taking on incumbent Holland Marsh farmer Avia Eek.
While he doesn’t live in Ward 6, Lloyd said he decided to run in the neighbouring ward given the current two-way race in Schomberg between incumbent Bill Cober and Greg Locke.
Township issues will overlap and Lloyd said he will bring a fresh set of eyes to the issues.
“I love King Township! I want to make a difference in our area and I feel I have the right skill set to successfully represent Ward 6. I am a political newcomer but my professional background of co-owning and operating my family’s mid-size manufacturing business gives me a unique vantage point to help run our municipality efficiently. In business, I have learned the importance of management, delegation, diplomacy, fiscal responsibility – all attributes that I believe will help me succeed as your councillor.”
Lloyd has volunteered in several King organizations, including the King Township Baseball Association, St. Patrick School Council and York Regional Police.
“I enjoy volunteering because I love getting to know my neighbours and I love helping people. Serving in municipal government seems like a natural extension of that and I would consider it a true honour to serve the residents of Ward 6.”
Lloyd believes he’s the representative of “today’s King Township.”
The area’s demographics are changing due to population increases, he observed. Estimates show growth across King at nearly 18% from 2011 to 2031. “I’m included in that group of younger families coming into the area.”
While agriculture is still the incredibly important lifeblood of the Holland Marsh, there are also many other issues important to the average citizen which require attention at the township level, he said.
“I plan to meet and speak with as many Ward 6 residents as possible before the election on Oct. 27 to make sure I find out what the important issues are for them. I know they are a very engaged group and I look forward to those discussions. Feel free to visit www.simonlloyd.ca to leave your comments, too.”
For broader King, Lloyd would like to see responsible growth, growing the Township’s tax base in the right ways and in the right areas.
“Responsible use of taxpayers’ money is my primary concern. I didn’t agree with the $2.95 million purchase of the Holy Name School property for instance. I believe the Township’s reserve funds need to be weighed carefully against any future tax increase.”
Lloyd said the quality of our roads is very important, and the method currently used to evaluate road repairs (based on traffic volume) should be addressed for the residents of Ward 6.
“If elected, I will bring enthusiasm, integrity and a fresh perspective as a newer King resident, while always respecting the history and agricultural roots of King Township and Ward 6 in particular,” Lloyd said.
He noted he’s always been interested in politics, especially municipal politics that’s so influential to our everyday lives.
“I’m excited at the potential to help build and steer King Township to a future that our kids will be able to enjoy for years to come.”
Lloyd said he recently read an article that said “politics is a discredited activity these days and it’s harder and harder to get good people to run.”
“I like to think that I’m a good person who just happens to enjoy politics! I want to be more involved in our great community, and ensure that honesty, integrity and cooperativeness remain at council.”
Lloyd and his supportive wife Minley have been married since 2005 and they have two children ages 6 and 4, with another baby on the way this winter to bring their family to five! They moved to King from Vaughan in 2011. The children attend St. Patrick CES in Schomberg.
Lloyd’s company Springwater Woodcraft, manufactures pine home accent furniture, sold across Canada and the northern U.S. The company is based in Barrie where they employ about 16 staff.
For more on Simon’s campaign platform, visit www.simonlloyd.ca. You can call him at 416-830-2355.