It was not an easy ride for local mayors in 2007, and there is much work to be accomplished in 2008.

After sitting down with our three mayors, it was interesting to hear what they feel are their community’s biggest issues and what goals have been set for 2008.

If there were ever a prize for the most controversy in 2007, Muskoka Lakes Township would take the cake.

Councillors came upon some hard realizations and even harder decisions, all with an angry constituency nipping at their heels. They pushed the public’s tolerance for spending over the threshold, and we hope a lesson was learned.

This year Muskoka Lakes’ biggest challenge, aside from a new accounting system, will be to keep the budget in check. Many people were against the large capital investments in new fire stations, new fire trucks and streetscape projects in Bala and Port Carling, and now taxpayers don’t deserve to be hit in the wallet with a large tax increase.

With a new CAO at the helm, followed closely by a new treasurer, Muskoka Lakes taxpayers deserve a budget that is easy to swallow.

In Gravenhurst, the southern gateway to Muskoka, the actual gateway has been missing for quite some time. Filling that void is on Mayor John Klinck’s to-do list, along with getting cosy with higher levels of government.

All joking aside, Gravenhurst did accomplish much in 2007, but there are still some major hurdles to overcome in 2008, including bringing some harmony to the Business Improvement Area and trying to keep businesses open at the wharf.

Klinck is correct in saying the wharf is a success, but is it a complete success if businesses continue to close up shop during the winter months? We thought the wharf was supposed to bring people to Gravenhurst year round.

Aside from all of that there are some good things planned for Gravenhurst in 2008. More work on the south end development, and Klinck’s priority to sort out the medical presence in town.

And 2008 could really be seen as a complete success if, in Klinck’s own words, the town gets “Muskoka Centre off its plate.” While Klinck remains doubtful, it is certainly a goal worth pursuing.

Compared to 2006, Bracebridge had a fairly easy ride in ’07, although it was not immune to public outcry, especially when it came to getting a bylaw in place to stop developers from clear-cutting land. The closure of Dura was another devastating blow to the community.

But Mayor Don Coates says he is confident things are on track to help Dura employees gain employment, and to ensure displaced skateboarders and baseball players will have a place to call home.

With Bracebridge development being so spread out, it’s nice to see the transit study fairly high on Coates’ list.

The outcome of the community-based strategic plan should be interesting. Let’s hope this study will be utilized to make Bracebridge better, and not put on a shelf to gather dust.

There have been a lot of goals set for 2008, and our mayors certainly have their work cut out for them, but now it’s the public’s job to ensure they stay true to their words.

KF