Gary Moisson
Focus will be on infrastructure
Long-time Fruitvale resident Gary Moisson has held many different jobs in the village and would like to add mayor to the list.
The 40-year-old father is a forestry technician, carries a paralegal background and an extensive list of prior community volunteer positions, including Scouts, minor soccer coach and search and rescue.
“My mission is to represent the interest of the citizens of the Village of Fruitvale and to ensure the effective and responsible management of funds, services and civil entitlements in a management system with a view point of a long-time resident in the beautiful community and home in which we live,” he said.
The third-generation Fruitvale man decided to run in this election to ensure democratic choice.
If elected, Moisson would like to focus council’s efforts on updating aging infrastructure.
This could be achieved, he said, by undertaking a thorough analysis of the village’s current distribution of revenue and reallocating funds to maintenance and improvements needed.
Patricia Cecchini
Ready for the challenge ahead
Former Fruitvale councillor Patricia Cecchini says she’s in the best position to lead council forward now that long-time Mayor Libby Nelson is leaving municipal politics.
Cecchini has lived in Fruitvale for over 30 years, where her and her husband raised four sons. Community involvement started early for her with sports and school activities and then carried through more recently on council with beautifying downtown, the addition of three playgrounds, an outdoor “green” gym, improved ball diamonds and washrooms, walking paths and trails, a multi-use SportCourt and the restoration of the village cenotaph.
“Over the past three years I have been part of a council team that really gets things done,” she said. “We are experienced and committed to keeping Fruitvale moving forward by addressing the issues, holding the vision and working hard to make that vision a reality.”
Cecchini would like to continue to develop the village as a place for inclusion and independent living, not just focusing on seniors and young families but all the residents.
“I think we need to keep that in the forefront when we’re doing our community projects,” she said, adding that it’s the people that keep her committed to the job.
While she said Fruitvale, like all small communities, faces many challenges in the future – from economic sustainability, environmental issues, aging population, restricted incomes and increased servicing costs – aging infrastructure is by far the greatest one for a small community to tackle with no industrial tax base.
“I will respect the taxpayer when moving forward to ensure our residents are not burdened with increased costs,” she said, adding that the village will have to work hard at securing funds externally to make improvements.
“I believe in Fruitvale’s potential, its future and its people,” she said. “I will work hard to ensure a good quality of life for all Fruitvale residents.”