Cheesy statement? Perhaps not.

Since taking office I have been focused on maintaining existing relationships, searching for new relationships and (what I feel is the most important) – restoring broken relationships. I believe this is the critical foundation for which our city needs to have.

Today’s Guelph Mercury “Mayor Guthrie aims to improve relationship” summed this up perfectly where it stated:

“Guthrie has said repeatedly on the campaign trail and since taking office that his priority is to improve relationships — with Wellington County, with the business community, with City Hall staff, and with Guelph residents in general.”

With this in mind, I have been in discussions with Wellington County since taking office on exploring whether city council representatives could/should be welcomed back to the Joint Social Services committee. The response from those I’ve talked to feel it’s well worth exploring. So let’s explore.

In 2010 the council of the day, for reasons to them, voted to remove themselves from the committee. There were also lawsuits and finger-pointing. Then –  what some would define – it became an entrenched  broken relationship.

This rocky relationship even formed an Ontario doctoral thesis by Zachary Spicer who, while interviewed,  said  “.…without official linkages there is nothing compelling them to work together. So it comes down to actions and the values of cooperating.”

I for one want to cooperate on this issue. As the picture at the top states, hopefully we can “fall back together”.

There’s a lot more to come on this topic so stay tuned.

Cam