District of Muskoka Chair outlines his priorities for 2025
The District of Muskoka Chair, Jeff Lehman, outlined his priorities for 2025, in the January 16, 2025, meeting.
In his Chair’s Update to Council, he outlined specific areas that he wants to focus on, with new items added to an existing list.
Communications was the first item on his list, specifically to residents. He said, “We will continue to grow the District’s communications to our residents.”
Also, in addition to building relationships with area Councils and attending meetings, he said, “I plan to do more explainer videos in 2025 and continue to be proactive with the media.”
Another focus will be on growing advocacy work through meetings with senior government and municipal associations.
He also emphasized community service as an important goal, “by raising the District’s profile through charity work,” such as attending Huntsville’s Coldest Night of the Year event, along with an event he’s planning to generate funds for United Way projects.
Strategic goals include continued work on housing, such as working with staff and the Board to update the Muskoka Municipal Non Profit Housing Corporation, and engage with the Muskoka Community Land Trust and other local areas “to expand access to social finance, to help non-market housing providers raise their own funds to build projects, in addition to ongoing work to access federal and provincial funding such as Canadian Housing Infrastructure Fund.”
Other focuses will include climate change and organizing a provincial conference, more direction toward governance and plan of action for watershed, and co-chairing the new Alternate Level of Care Steering Committee.
He expressed optimism about the upcoming year. He said, “We’ve started much good work and as we move into the second half of Council’s term, we will increasingly see the impact of our efforts in the community.”
