PARRSBORO - Ron Shaw's children were small when he stepped away from town council in 1997, and now they're grown up. That's not the only thing that has changed in town during the past 15 years.
The business person and former councilor said he does not feel the town has been moving in the right direction, and he wants to be a part of the team to put it back on track.
"The town has gone downhill in the last 15 years," said Shaw, one of eight candidates running for the four seats at the council table. "I don't think council' going to be able to stop it, but I think they have to have some attainable goals they can work towards."
There has been a lack of vision at town hall in recent years, according to Shaw.
"If I get elected, I think we as a group have to sit down and we have to have a vision," he said. "We have to know where we're going and where we want to go, and see if we can attain the goals we set out to do. We can't be unrealistic."
Priorities for Shaw would include completing the upgrades to the town's sewer system, seeing repairs completed to the aboiteau bridge, and working towards bringing a nursing home to the community.
If Parrsboro is to be a tourism town, Shaw said it has to lead by example and try to work with other groups to promote the areas as a whole.
"I can't see any big industry moving to Parrsboro, but we have to promote what we have," he said.
Shaw said he has more time to contribute to the job now than he did when he previously served on council from 1994-97, which he said was a difficult time juggling the role with the demands of having a young family. Now, he said his wife Marjorie has been the driving force in encouraging him to run again.
The municipal election will take place on Oct. 20. Along with Shaw, council candidates are Betty Atkinson, Robert Fancy, David Harrison, Dawn McCully, Lloyd Smith, Lisa Ward and Lyle Yorke.
