Eastern Charlotte Mayoral Candidate: Alexa Detorakis
1. What is your vision for the municipality over the next four years, and how will you measure success?
Well, right now we have no plan. It’s been a reoccuring topic of conversation for me – why we aren’t thinking of even the short-term future, let alone ten-fifteen years from now.
Over the next four years, I want us to begin serious community planning, with public consultation, so residents have a real voice in shaping what kind of municipality we want to be, from growth and infrastructure to recreation and service priorities. It’s not a series of buzzwords – we need to plan on these matters because nothing happens overnight.
Success, to me, means we are no longer reacting issue by issue. It means we have a stronger long-term vision in place, better communication with residents, and measurable progress toward the kind of community we actually want to build together. We know we have lots to work on – so we should probably start crossing things off our to-do list.
2. How will you balance fiscal responsibility with maintaining and improving municipal services?
Municipal government has a responsibility to balance the books, but that cannot mean standing still while needs continue to grow. The best way to balance fiscal responsibility with service improvement is to have a clear plan, set priorities, and make decisions consistently instead of reacting one issue at a time.
That also means being more proactive in pursuing outside funding and partnerships wherever possible, so the burden does not always fall back on residents alone. Fiscal responsibility is not just about cutting or holding the line. It is also about planning well and making smarter choices.
3. What is your strategy for long-term infrastructure planning and funding?
Long-term planning has to start immediately. One of Eastern Charlotte’s biggest weaknesses right now is the lack of a clear long-term vision for infrastructure, growth, and community development. Compared with many other municipalities, we are far behind in that respect, and that needs to change.
On the funding side, my approach is simple: Eastern Charlotte has to be far more proactive. We need to be persistent, visible, and organized in pursuing provincial and federal support. I truly believe in the concept that “the squeaky wheel always gets the grease,” and that means building relationships, being clear about our priorities, and making sure decision-makers understand that Eastern Charlotte is here, that our needs are real, and that we expect to be part of the conversation!
4. Many communities in the region are experiencing population changes, including aging populations, affordability issues, homelessness. How will your leadership address workforce retention and attract new residents?
We need to be honest about the challenges Eastern Charlotte is facing. We have an aging population, young people leave for better opportunities, and there are gaps in services and support that make it harder to build a life here – not impossible, but harder. If we do not address those issues, we cannot be surprised when the community continues to shrink.
My approach is to focus on making Eastern Charlotte a stronger and more livable place for the people already here, because that is also how you attract new residents AND business. That means improving services, thinking more seriously about housing, recreation, infrastructure, and childcare, and being willing to push beyond the bare minimum of what a municipality has traditionally done. Communities grow when people can actually see a future in them, and we need to start thinking outside of the box when it comes to how we’re going to adapt.
5. Describe a difficult decision you’ve made in a leadership role. How will that experience inform your approach as mayor?
A good recent example would be the childcare issue – even if licensed childcare is not traditionally seen as a core municipal responsibility, it becomes a municipal issue when families in your community do not have access to it and the effects are felt across the region. It causes a ripple effect of hurt from the working parents to the workplace.
What that experience reinforced for me is that leadership cannot always be about passing the buck and saying it belongs somewhere else. Sometimes leadership means recognizing that a problem matters to your neighbors and choosing to take it seriously, even when the easiest thing would be to stay quiet. As mayor, I would bring that same mindset: think bigger, plan further ahead, and be willing to advocate where advocacy is needed. It all ties together with the idea that we need to plan for the future in order to get there.
6. Why should voters trust you to lead the municipality at this time?
For the past five years on council, i’ve been loud and proud about how our municipality needs more transparency, more public consultation, and clearer communication. I believe residents deserve to know what is happening in their community and why decisions are being made – simple enough!
I hope voters will see that my eagerness to inform and improve is based on the idea that we NEED to have debate and discussion about these matters! There’s nothing to be secretive about – you deserve to know what, why, and when!
I have shown up consistently, asked the difficult questions, and stayed committed to doing the work – no matter the issue and no matter the pressure around it. I am not running to simply sit at the table – I am running because I believe Eastern Charlotte needs someone to stand up.
Each candidate was provided with the same six questions and equal limits on response length and time. Candidates who did not have publicly available contact information through Elections New Brunswick were required to contact The Courier in accordance with its Municipal Election Coverage Fairness Policy. Candidates who did not respond or declined to participate are noted. Failure to participate will not result in additional coverage elsewhere in the newspaper.
