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Stacey Cooper is the Town Clerk and Deputy CAO for the Town of Penetanguishene. We dig into her role in local government and her commitment to roots level democracy. She shares her excitement for the first Climate Solutions Park in Canada, to be built in the Ecology Garden in Penetanguishene and she details the Community Well Being Committee initiative which brings together representatives from previously siloed councils. She also emphasizes the importance of relationship building, listening, and making people feel heard and authentically represented.
“I've had members of Council say: ‘Oh, I can't believe that other member of Council showed up wearing XYZ’, and it's not something they would have worn to a really important meeting. I'd say: ‘I hear you. You're right. I wouldn't necessarily have worn that. Keep in mind, this person is a representation of our community, and they should feel comfortable coming in whatever way they want.’ We don't want a group of people around this table that all wear the business suits and are very well spoken and well educated. That's not democracy. We want this room to reflect the people that live here. And if the people that live here would wear socks and sandals and shorts to a very important provincial meeting, that's us. That's exactly us. And we are true to ourselves. People need to feel like the person that they entrusted with their community are like them.”
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STACEY COOPER
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