Woodstock Mayor Art Slipp plans to re-offer for mayor in May municipal election

Mayor Art Slipp braved the wet weather during the Dooryard Arts Festival in August 2011 and came out with his camera, taking pictures of the festivities. Slipp plans to re-offer for the title of Woodstock's top dog in the municipal election scheduled for May. 

In less than two months, New Brunswickers will head to the polls to elect new municipal leaders or re-elect incumbent ones.

It looks like Woodstock's mayor, Art Slipp, will be one of those re-offering.

CJ 104 published a news release on their website today announcing that Art Slipp will re-offer for the position of Mayor of Woodstock in the municipal elections scheduled for sometime in May.

A former Woodstock High School teacher, Slipp is no stranger to Woodstock town council. He served as a councillor for three years, along with another three years as the town's deputy mayor and a four-year term as mayor.

Slipp told CJ104 that the town's top priority is the Carleton Civic Centre expansion and upgrade. The project is in partnership with the Woodstock Rotary Club and various local service districts (LSDs).

He told CJ 104 that he expects more people may move to the Woodstock area following the upgrade of the facilities.

The second thing Slipp would like to be involved in is the development of the Carleton Memorial Hospital property, which has been dormant since the demolition of the hospital facilities in 2009.

According to the CJ 104 press release, Slipp said that "work with the Department of Supply and Services and Department of Education has been completed to provide access through the hospital property to the new site of Woodstock Centennial Elementary School, and the town is continuing to work with government to relocate Southern Carleton Elementary School within municipal boundaries."

Slipp admits that there are other things to consider down the road as well, such as working with area LSDs to determine how to oversee the new District 11 regional service commission. The town plans to work with the LSDs to figure out ways to increase economic development for the Woodstock area. Regional policing will be held high on the priority list also.

Slipp's other area of focus if he becomes mayor again is to find a developer for the lot at the corner of Main and Queen Streets in Woodstock's downtown, which has been vacant since the demolition of the MacLauchlan Building in January 2009. The lot has been graded and landscaped since then.

Vacant lot in downtown Woodstock. Fall 2011