GARY ZALEPA

A campaign focus for Gary in 2018 was supporting improved transit services and Region wide integration. Regional Council has approved a single transit system to launch 2023.

Gary was appointed to the Region's Transit Integration Task Force which recommended the move forward option to Council.

Importantly during the work, Gary was instrumental in moving changes which recognized the exaggerated impact to Niagara-on-the-Lake from tax assessment based billing and moved changes that more fairly determined the costs to municipalities.

For Niagara-on-the-Lake, this has brought onDemand services to the town, with enhancements to services coming with the new system.

Promise delivered. ​

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Another campaign focus in 2018 and the issue which received a large amount of emails and phones call regarding was road safety. Early in the term Gary supported the Region adopting the Vision Zero Road Safety Program.​ The goal is to eliminate vehicular and pedestrian injury on our roads.

The Program was initiated in two locations in Niagara-on-the-Lake, at St. David's Public School and Virgil's Crossroads Public School.

This program employs data driven research to improve safety by reducing speed using enforcement, raising awareness and road design.

Promise Delivered.

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Residents want quality services delivered with efficient use of tax dollars. In 2018 the Region was facing significant budget pressures from years of underfunding capital budgets.
After being elected in 2018, Gary was selected as Chair of the Region's Budget Review Committee of the Whole. This committee managed the budget process during the term of council.

The annual process included setting budget guidance to establish the base budget for committee to review. Workshops were conducted on each budget segment operating, capital, rates and agencies and boards. This was followed by committee of the whole of council meetings which debated the budgets and made final decisions.

As chair, Gary demonstrated the following leadership skills collaborating with colleagues with diverse interests, exercising fairness and good judgement ensuring all voices were heard and knowledge on meeting procedures, demonstrated through efficient and productive meetings.​

Promise Delivered.
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