Dave Le Gard
For Councillor, Ward 3
Lanark Highlands
Meet Dave
Dave Le Gard is a devoted father, husband, entrepreneur, volunteer coach, and community member who has built his life around family, hard work, and giving back.
He is the proud father of one daughter and two stepdaughters and has dedicated countless hours to coaching hockey, ringette, and soccer, including here in Lanark County.
His commitment to young people extends beyond the playing field. For many years, Dave organized charity golf tournaments that brought together friends, businesses, and community members to raise funds for children battling cancer.
Professionally, Dave has spent 35 years as a successful small-business owner working in commercial building automation systems. His career has required him to manage multi million dollar budgets, work within complex federal, provincial, and municipal regulations, balance competing priorities, and make sound decisions with limited resources. He successfully sold his business to an employee and is now semi retired with time to devote to his community.
After more than 25 years living in rural Ottawa, Dave has proudly called Lanark Highlands home for the past four years. He believes strong communities are built by people who stay involved, listen to one another, and are willing to do the work to keep Lanark Highlands a beautiful, successful place to live for generations to come.
Vision
“A Township that embraces thoughtful growth while protecting our rural character and preserving the natural environment for generations to come.”
Dave believes residents deserve a Council that:
Acts with integrity, accountability, and transparency
Understands that Council exists to represent its constituents
Makes decisions with fiscal responsibility
Addresses roads, bridges, and other infrastructure fairly across the Township
Listens to different perspectives before making decisions
Plans for the future while protecting the rural character residents value
What Dave Stands For
Responsible Financial Management
I believe in strong financial management and controls. This means rolling up the sleeves and going line by line through the expenses. Every cost needs to be scrutinized, as my 35 years working on multimillion dollar budgets has proven. We need:
-strong software reporting capabilities
-Lifecycle costing and forecasting
-Ensuring competitive bidding for third party contracts and regular review of their value
-Address outstanding revenues
-consider sharing specialized equipment with neighbouring municipalities
-maximize grants
Fair & Transparent Decision-Making
Residents should be able to understand how and why Council makes decisions. I support a planning and decision making process that is fair, consistent, transparent, and impartial.
-Post key documents well before meetings.
-Apply policies fairly and consistently.
-Give residents a meaningful opportunity to participate.
-Council voting should always be recorded so you know how each Councillor voted on every decision before it.
Hazardous Waste
Once per year is just not enough. This will encourage dumping at home or elsewhere, which will lead to pollution of our lands and aquifer. We should have the ability to take our hazardous waste at least four times per year.
Roads, Infrastructure & Tax Affordability
Maintaining a large rural Township requires careful choices. Infrastructure spending should focus on the areas of greatest risk to life safety ie which roads are inaccessible or dangerous for an ambulance, firetruck or school bus to travel at any time of year? Then prioritize road repairs based on risk and lifecycle.
Ensure grading is on a systematic cycle throughout the Township not just responding to complaint calls which takes our trucks in varying directions at extra expense. If it was systematic those calls should decrease.
One Township, Five Wards
Lanark Highlands is made up of distinct communities with different needs. I believe the best approach across the Township is basing decisions on a triage approach. Life safety of residents should come first then the nice to haves. Decisions must include fairness, facts, fiscal responsibility and the long term interests of the entire Township.
Communication
Listening to residents is critical and I am and have been listening. People want to understand why decisions are made and have their voices heard on issues. That does not mean we all will agree on matters but it is imperative that we have polite discussions. I will take major decisions out to one of the community halls (on a rotating basis) monthly to discuss and get input from constituents. I will also post this information on my web site. I am and will be available to residents as I have proven to date. Give me a call, text or email and I will get back to you.
We need to make sure that this Township is a reflection of what its residents want and not just those that are most vocal but the quiet residents as well.
Alto High-Speed Rail
Lanark Highlands should not carry the cost of a project that does not serve our community.
I oppose the Alto high-speed rail proposal in its current form and will do everything I can to protect Lanark Highlands from unnecessary impacts on our land, roads, farms, and rural communities.
Lanark Highlands and Lanark County have raised serious concerns about the proposed rail corridor, including the potential loss of agricultural land, impacts on private property and environmentally sensitive areas, changes to local roads, and added pressure on municipal infrastructure.
As Ward 3 Councillor, I will make sure Lanark Highlands has a strong voice throughout this process. I will advocate for residents, landowners, and farmers, push for meaningful consultation before decisions are made, and work with Lanark County and neighbouring municipalities to ensure our concerns are heard at every level of government.
Major infrastructure projects should not move forward at the expense of the communities they pass through. I will continue to stand up for Lanark Highlands and protect our home.