NIPIGON – Suzanne Kukko is running for the mayor’s seat of the Township of Nipigon, and she says her experiences owning her own business, working in a school system with young families, and as the town's economic development officer make her a great choice.
“I'm also really engaged in the community – my kids attend school here, I'm a volunteer in the community with hockey and events like the Fall Fishing Festival, and I just I feel like with all that experience under my belt, I can really contribute the most to our community as mayor,” she said.
“It's that top leadership role that really sets the tone for the whole town, it's a vital role and I feel I have my finger on the pulse of the community and I'm the best person to lead us forward and upward.”
Kukko says that, if elected mayor, her top priority is to develop a new strategic plan to aid town council in decision-making, while giving the community more of a voice through community consultation.
“Our town has not had a strategic plan done in over 10 years. That's a road map that looks at where we are, where we want to go and how do we get there and then, how do we measure our success,” she said.
“Having a plan for anything is very important, whether you're building a house or anything like that. So you really need to have a plan in a community, in a town, to be able to set out your goals and your mission and your vision, so that you know what you're doing.”
Economic diversification is something Kukko hopes to see emphasized in that plan, as well as increasing housing opportunities, including bringing in more rental opportunities to prepare for development happening in the area.
“There's that lithium mine that's being built up Highway 11 that's a short drive... from Nipigon, and I'd like us to be prepared for that development in the way of housing,” she said.
“And I'd like to see us be a service hub for the folks that are working up there. There's a lot, but that strategic plan is key in making sure that we're putting our focus where it should be and all of our resources as well.”
Kukko says that through speaking to residents door-to-door, she knows that the people of Nipigon are concerned about the attraction and retention of medical staff, medical transportation for seniors, structural issues with the marina, community safety, and, most importantly, communication between council and the people they represent.
Kukko says that the people of Nipigon should vote for her because she brings integrity and commitment with everything she does, and she says she has great ideas and the leadership ability to bring them to fruition.
