A MESSAGE TO EVERYONE WHO STOOD UP FOR 183 MAIN STREET

Many of you signed this petition because you believed the people of Kingsville deserved a voice in what happened to one of our community's historic homes.

More than 3,000 people came together.

And that mattered.

The Esther Jasperson Campbell House was ultimately saved from demolition and designated as a heritage property.

But today, there is an uncomfortable irony.

A house that so many residents fought to preserve now sits in a state of deterioration along one of Kingsville's most visible corridors.

Saving a heritage building cannot simply mean stopping the demolition. Preservation also means responsible stewardship.

And that is really what this petition was about from the beginning: Who is listening to residents? Who is protecting what makes Kingsville special? And who is making sure that decisions made today serve the community tomorrow?

Those are the same questions that are at the heart of my decision to run for Mayor.

My campaign is called Back to Basics because I believe municipal government needs to return to some fundamental principles:

Listen to residents.
Protect our community character.
Spend taxpayers' money responsibly.
Maintain the things we already have.
Be transparent about decisions.
And make government accountable to the people it serves.

The fight over 183 Main Street taught us something important: Kingsville residents care deeply about their community.

I believe government should care just as deeply.

If you signed this petition, I hope you'll continue that conversation with me.

Join me on Facebook at Mary Ellen Havlik, where I'm talking about the issues facing Kingsville and what I believe we can do differently.  I invite you to share your input on what you would like to see improved in our town too!

Back to Basics isn't just a campaign slogan. It's a commitment to put residents, responsible government and the future of our community first.