My commitment to the community is more than a Municipal Councillor

• Managing Waldorf Residence for the past 12 years with an integrated Accredited CHSLD.
• Successfully managed Covid-19 pandemic with a vulnerable population up to 108 years old. 
• Implemented Covid-19 restrictions and protocols months before other care facilities preventing the spread of the virus.
• Actively involved in planning and implementation of Covid-19 protocols with the CIUSSS.
• Planned and implemented a 5-star Centenarian Gala with 20 Centenarians - covered by over 80 news media outlets worldwide.
• Assisted with seniors when they were displaced by their property closings – Residence Monaco, Griffith McConnell, Manoir Montefiore, Castel Royale.
• Patient's Advocate from 1991 to 2015 at Mount Sinai Hospital.

• Since 2007, initiated and organized the annual Hampstead Blood Drive in conjunction with Hema-Quebec. 

• For the past 15 years, our Hampstead blood drive events have saved over 7,000 lives.

• Actively involved with Fondation Hema-Quebec to raise community awareness of the importance of blood donation.

• CTV news coverage of Special Blood Drive event: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.1979841#

• Honouree family of the Fondation Hema-Quebec Gala: https://fondation.hema-quebec.qc.ca/histoire-brandon/

• Honoree and Speaker at World Prematurity Day at the Jewish General Hospital – Neonatal ICU https://www.cjnews.com/news/canada/parents-of-preemies-thank-the-jewish-general-hospital-neonatal-unit-for-care

• President of Dawson College (2013 to present)

• Responsible for Dawson's budget of over $100M.

• Organized and led an Economic & Educational Mission to China in conjunction with several technical schools located in 4 major cities.

• Responsible for Dawson becoming 100% “Carbon Neutral”.

• Responsible for Dawson’s Gold achievement with AASHE – Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

• Managed a bank for over 10 years with assets of over $200M.

• Responsible for Dawson's budget of over $100M.

• Responsible for multiple property budgets of over $50M & CapEx of $10M.

• Responsible for Mount Sinai Hospital's operating budget of over $50M.

• Responsible for Hampstead’s operating budget of over $25M & Capital Expenditures of over $5M.

• Successfully negotiated 8 Union Collective Agreements at the Waldorf Senior’s Residence and other residences and institutions.

• When I was first elected in 2006, the Public Works employees were working for several years with an expired collective agreement and the working environment was unfavourable.   

• Since then, I have chaired Hampstead’s Public Works portfolio and one of my main goals was to foster an improved relationship between the Administration, elected officials, and the employees.

• Every year and with and the latest union negotiations, the most recent Collective Agreement was signed with 94% of the staff voting in favour; one of the highest percentages ever signed.

• Member of the annual Israel Day Rally committee.
• Coach and Convener for children’s sports teams and leagues – Baseball, Soccer, Basketball.
• Commissioner of Oaths 
• In conjunction with the local Police station and our Public Security department, I frequently patrolled our streets when the town was experiencing the influx of home robberies and vandalism of parked cars.
• Even before I was elected into Council in 2006 with a large majority of the votes, I was actively involved in Hampstead’s Public Security Committee and Hampstead’s Traffic Committee during the borough period of 2002-2006.
• Created Hampstead’s Home Security Guide brochure.   
• Performed in several plays with the Cote Saint-Luc Dramatic Society.
   

 HOSPITALS: 

• Board Member and Chair of Mount Sinai Hospital from 1991 to 2015 – serving the Board, Finance & Audit, Strategic Planning, Public Relations, Patient Advocacy committees.
• Mount Sinai Hospital Patient’s Advocate from 1991 to 2015.

SCHOOLS:

• Board President of Dawson College since 2013.
• Chair of various School Boards and committees at JPPS/Bialik from 1999 to 2013.

MISC:

• Member of Montreal Police (SPVM) Community Action Committee.
• Member of PME Montreal – Centre Ouest. (Support network for businesses - offers coaching, training, and financing for entrepreneurs).
• Member of Royal Montreal Regiment - Branch 14.  

While I feel that Cote St-Luc Road is in major need of improvement, stemming from the roads, the businesses and the buildings, important factors weigh heavily on me:

A vast majority of voters elected me in 2006, and I have been and will continue to serve all residents of Hampstead, whether they are homeowners or tenants. I would like to see some of the buildings, particularly the empty ones or the empty lot, be addressed but I must do so while demonstrating good municipal governance.   

I do not want to see 10-12 storey buildings (like in the photo above) being built. I support development if they were developed at a height which would be a compromise to everyone. This would increase tax revenue while we remain morally and ethically responsible to ALL our citizens. There are claims that we will receive $1.8M in additional tax revenue to operate an exuberant Community Centre if these 12-storey buildings are developed, but in reality, this would not happen overnight nor in the next 4 years. It would likely happen in about 10-15 years or more, and that is IF all 16 building owners decide to demolish and build up. 

As well, the $20M Community Centre project that is being proposed would wipe out our surplus to build and will cost approx. $1.5M a year to operate.

I am in favour of revamping our current community centre with 2/3 of the amount being funded by the government without wiping out our entire budget surplus.

Therefore, I am not supporting a vision which will be a detriment to over 100 homes directly affected, and hundreds more indirectly affected, by a lack of privacy, decreased home values and overall aesthetics. I will ensure that a reasonable compromise is reached for the homeowners, tenants, and developers.