Michael Martin - Ward 1

*copy of speech script

Good evening. Thank you for being here tonight. I am Michael Martin, Town Councilor in Ward 1. As a lifelong resident of Belleville, it has been a privilege to serve on Town Council for the last three and a half years.

 

I am proud to be part of this community, a place where people look out for one another, work hard, and care deeply about our shared future. With the amalgamation of Woodstock, I did not know what to expect, but I took the risk. As I stand before you tonight, I consider myself a fish out of water. This is not me. I'm not political. I'm not that guy to stand here and talk about my accomplishments. I'm just not that guy to campaign.  I'm just a country boy at heart that will give you an honest day's work and be back tomorrow to do it again.

 

With my volunteer experience and over 20 years of being self-employed, I understand what it means to work hard and to manage challenges. It takes thick skin to run a business in a small town, and it takes much thicker skin to serve as a Town Councilor.  Every decision will be scrutinized and misunderstood when people question your motives, challenge your integrity, and hold you accountable. You also need a strong heart, a clear mind, and a genuine commitment to serve, because this is what truly makes a difference.

 

At the end of the day, this is a job, not volunteer. It comes with a lot of responsibility and decision-making. While it's impossible to make decisions that everyone will agree upon, please know I do not make any decision lightly. I take this job more seriously than my own business. Why? Because Council decisions affect a community of taxpayers. 

 

As a member of the Finance Committee, I want to ensure transparency, accountability, and making careful decisions about where every dollar goes.

 

 As Election Day approaches, I encourage you to vote for the person who will make the right decisions based on what our town needs, and not what is best for the person you vote in. This isn't about me, this is about us. It's about ensuring our municipality continues to grow in a way that supports families, strengthens local business, and creates opportunities for future generations.

 

I remain dedicated and more committed in an effort to making our community stronger. I value opportunity, fairness, and the progress we have made. From another well, to securing land for protected services buildings, just to name a few, as well as creating partnerships with different levels of government, and so much more!

 

Let's continue moving one step forward. Thank you.