Michael Harding says 'I have definitely smartened up...'
WOODSTOCK - Michael Harding is taking another crack at running for Mayor in the City of Woodstock.
Harding says over the last four years he has learned a lot from members of the community about faults he made in his term as mayor.
"When I thought I was illustrating confidence and commitment, that was seen by some as being arrogant and that was troubling to me. When I thought that we were headed toward achieving our objectives, that was seen as bullying and combativeness and what I saw as keeping an eye on the prize was seen by some as unwilling to listen and be collaborative. My message to the people of Woodstock is --- I have definitely smartened up."
Harding says the election should not be about personalities but about issues.
"I realize that no matter what you think council is doing, we need to make sure the people of Woodstock understand how and why decisions are being made. That certainly was and the public was clear in their response to me, that we didn't do a good job on the Art Gallery."
Harding says for him, the Art Gallery was about a building and a downtown redevelopment plan and an opportunity to start investing in the future. He said the fact that there was an asset that was looking for a home for a decade or more was a piece of the pie but it was more about taking a cultural grant that could only be spent on culture and restore a building back to life.
"There are four issues in my opinion that the public is concerned about. One is the sale of Woodstock Hydro, the next is the job strategy, the usual one about taxation and affordable housing."
Harding says in the four years since he was in office he realized that as mayor he often played follow the leader with himself, something he says he wont do again.
Current Mayor Pat Sobeski is the only other person running for mayor at this point with just over one week left before nominations close.
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