Editor’s Note: Leigh Meadows responded to The Current’s request with the following statement about her candidacy for Councillor in Madawaska Valley.
Thank you for reaching out, and for providing candidates with the opportunity to share what we hope to bring to Madawaska Valley Council. I am running because I care deeply about the future of Madawaska Valley and believe I can bring a combination of business experience, strong communication, collaboration and practical problem-solving to the Council table.
My approach throughout this campaign is Listening. Connecting. Getting things done.
I don’t believe Madawaska Valley needs change simply for the sake of change. I do believe Council has a responsibility to continually ask whether we are getting good value for taxpayers, whether decisions are being explained clearly, whether residents have meaningful opportunities to be heard, and whether there might be better ways of doing things.
Integrity, accountability and transparency are fundamental to that. Residents should be able to understand not only what Council has decided, but why decisions were made, what alternatives were considered and how public money is being spent. Even when people disagree with a decision, they should be able to understand the process that led to it.
Since deciding to run, I have been spending a great deal of time listening to residents and local businesses. Several themes are emerging.
1 – The need for thoughtful economic growth.
Madawaska Valley is fortunate to have a large and active retired community, alongside younger people and families who are choosing to make the Valley home. A strong future means being a community where people can thrive at every stage of life — and creating more opportunities for younger people, families, professionals and entrepreneurs to live, work and build their futures here.
We need to support the businesses already here while looking carefully at opportunities for new economic activity and year-round employment.
But growth doesn’t have to mean sacrificing what makes Madawaska Valley special. Our lakes, forests, villages, rural character and environment are among our greatest assets. I believe economic development and environmental stewardship have to work together.
We should be able to grow without losing what we love.
2 – I am also hearing repeatedly about fairness in taxation and services.
Residents understandably ask questions when they pay significant property taxes but don’t feel they receive comparable services. One example that has particularly struck me is hearing from seniors in parts of Combermere who must transport their own garbage and recycling to the waste site because they don’t receive roadside collection.
For an able-bodied person that may be inconvenient; for someone who is older, has limited mobility or doesn’t have suitable transportation, it can become a genuine barrier.
I don’t yet know what the right solution is — but I think that’s exactly the kind of issue Council should be willing to investigate. Why does the service end where it does? Who is affected? What would extending it cost? Are there other options? How do similar rural municipalities handle it?
We shouldn’t assume that because something has always been done a particular way, it must continue to be done that way.
Our retired and senior residents are an enormous part of the life, experience and strength of this community. As people get older, practical municipal services can make a real difference to their ability to remain independent and connected to the community they call home.
At the same time, we need to make Madawaska Valley somewhere younger people can see a future for themselves.
Those two goals aren’t in competition. A community that works for every generation is a stronger community.
3 – I’m also interested in looking outside our municipal boundaries for ideas.
Madawaska Valley isn’t the only rural Ontario community thinking about how to serve a large retired population while attracting and retaining younger people and families, managing seasonal population fluctuations, infrastructure costs, housing pressures, transportation challenges, environmental protection and economic development.
I would like to talk to comparable municipalities about what they have tried, what has worked, what hasn’t and what it cost.
If somebody else has already developed an effective solution, we don’t necessarily need to reinvent the wheel. There may also be opportunities for municipalities to collaborate, share expertise, pursue funding together or advocate collectively when that makes sense.
My business and professional experience has taught me to listen first, ask questions, bring people together and look for practical solutions. I have owned and managed a business, managed teams, worked in corporate environments, served for four years on a condominium board including as president, and spent many years working and volunteering in roles where communication, listening and collaboration matter.
4 – I also understand that Council is a team.
I have reached out to my fellow candidates because, regardless of who is elected, I believe everyone putting their name forward ultimately wants the best for Madawaska Valley.
The community will decide who it wants representing it. If that includes me, I will work collaboratively with the people around the Council table. If it doesn’t, I will respect that decision and support those the community chooses.
Over the coming weeks, I intend to continue listening. I want to hear from long-time residents, newer residents, seniors, young people and families, business owners and seasonal residents — including people who may feel that their part of the municipality is sometimes overlooked.
I don’t pretend to have all the answers, and I don’t think good municipal leadership requires pretending that you do.
It requires asking good questions, listening carefully to the answers, doing the research, considering the alternatives, explaining decisions openly and then being willing to get things done. Thank you again for the opportunity.
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