Spencer enters town’s mayoral race

Kelly Spencer. (Contributed Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

There is officially a race for the mayor’s seat in Tillsonburg with Coun. Kelly Spencer filing her papers to run for the town’s leadership last week.

The first-time councillor sits as the vice-chair of the Community Health Care Advisory Committee, is on the Youth Advisory Council and the Museum, Heritage and Culture Committees as a member of council.

Outside of council, Spencer owned Indigo Lounge the past 15 years. The business was the recipient of the Chamber of Commerce’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012, Community Impact Award in 2015 and Environmental Award in 2020. It also won the Partnership Award from Oxford County for leadership in collaboration and partnership with other business and farmers. As a volunteer, Spencer sits on the board of directors for United Way Oxford and the subcommittee for the Lighthouse/Transitional house here in Tillsonburg.

“As a former registered nurse, community advocate, business owner, and a town councillor, I have spent my life serving others,” Spencer said. “I am ready to bring that experience, education, energy, and commitment to the role of mayor.”

Asked why she decided to run for mayor, Spencer said the twon deserves leadership that is visible, accessible, collaborative and focused on moving the town forward.

“Our town has incredible strengths, dedicated residents, passionate volunteers, and tremendous potential,” she said. “To fully realize that potential, we need leadership that brings people together, builds relationships, and works toward common goals in Tillsonburg and at Oxford County council.”

Spencer promised to provide respectful dialogue and effective leadership with every level of government while representing the town, if elected.

“Most importantly, I am running because I love this community, I am highly involved in the community and believe deeply in its future,” she said.

Saying council has achieved a lot in the last four years, Spencer wants to see a “course correction” if she is elected mayor.

“I want to see a thriving downtown, strong local businesses with room for expansion, housing options for every stage of life, support for seniors for aging in place, continued healthcare advocacy, and a community where everyone feels safe, connected, and proud to call Tillsonburg home,” she said.

On the industrial front, Spencer wants to see expansion. She will push for establishing industries that will support the future VW Gigafactory in St. Thomas to become established in Tillsonburg.

She also wants to build stronger collaboration through her leadership between Tillsonburg council and Oxford County council.

“The perceived divide between Tillsonburg Council and Oxford County Council has moved beyond healthy democratic debate,” Spencer said. “A renewed commitment to collaboration is essential for effective leadership and rebuilding public confidence in both councils.”

One of the issues facing Tillsonburg in the next few years will be the need to expand the boundaries. Spencer believes the Memorandum of Understanding signed when the Norfolk Mall expanded in the early 2000s and the County of Oxford extended water and sanitary sewer lines to it, there was a clause supporting a future boundary adjustment.

“Because Norfolk mall sits on the Norfolk side of the border, but relies entirely on Oxford County water and sewer, major redevelopment on that site is essentially stuck in limbo until the jurisdictional boundary matches the infrastructure,” Spencer said. “Despite the history and requests by the current property owners, nothing has been formally initiated. To get this process in gear we need a resolution, supporting a boundary change and request an evidence-based study between Oxford, Tillsonburg and Norfolk. It’s time to treat this as a key issue.”

As is the case in many municipalities, homelessness is an issue in Tillsonburg. Although Tillsonburg doesn’t deal directly with social services as a lower-tier municipality, the mayor is a member of county council, which does oversee social services.

“This means our local leadership has a direct voice in how countywide funds, regional strategies, and provincial programs are distributed,” Spencer said, adding she would champion localized transitional housing programs.

“There is now county staff dedicated to assisting Oxford communities through focused implementation of the Safe and Well Plan, which includes homelessness, mental health and addiction,” she continued. “Unfortunately, this initiative was not supported by our county representative.”

Spencer made the case that there is a financial argument for the county providing proactive funding to tackle homelessness.

“Leaving individuals unhoused is remarkably expensive,” she said. “When a person lacks stable shelter, they are forced to rely heavily on reactive crisis systems: emergency room visits, acute mental health interventions, policing, and emergency shelter bed allocations.”

Spencer pointed to provincial studies showing the managing chronic homelessness through crisis response costs more than providing structured, supportive housing.

“As a board member on United Way and a member of the Tillsonburg transitional house committee, I have learned to understand the complex layered continuum of housing,” she said. “Investing early in and supporting the housing continuum, such as localized transitional housing or rent-supplement programs and affordable housing, breaks this costly cycle. Every dollar spent on prevention and rehabilitation reduces the burden and burnout on our first responders and healthcare infrastructure.”

Spencer also sees an economic benefit for the community when people transition from survival mode by taking people off the streets, they become active particpants in the local economy.

“As mayor I would create a “Committee of Care” taskforce, dedicated to accessing existing resources and services, outreach and staff, to assist Tillsonburg to create an even cleaner, safer, and more vibrant downtown and provide a boost for consumers and merchants alike,” she said. “We cannot fine or arrest our way out of homelessness, mental health and addiction. We need root cause solutions, not reactive bandages. Situations have worsened over last few years. This is not the case for all municipalities. We need action for Tillsonburg, to support all community members.”