By Anne Finlay-Stewart

Catching up with Scott Greig is not an easy thing. The marathoner and owner of The Runners Den in Downtown Owen Sound is an energetic man, and he is about to add the responsibilities of city councillor to his daily routines.

"I'll be listening before I speak of course", Greig said of being a new councillor. After orientation, he believes the council's first order of business will be to examine their commitments five-ten-fifteen years down the road in order to make appropriate decisions for today. Every capital grant comes with a need for operating funds, he cited as an example. "We need to create windows of opportunity and balance them with the commitments that come with these grants so we can select the best projects." He is looking forward to the energy and ideas of the new councillors, and working with them as a team.

Greig's is a political family; his father Howard was the longest serving member of Grey County council when he retired in 2010 and brother Shawn won his own campaign last night, becoming a Chatsworth councillor. "Little things matter" was an important lesson Greig learned from his father. "The things that matter to individual citizens deserve just as much attention as bigger policy issues," he said. Using the neighbours of the BCK property as an example, Greig said he will look after those people with respect, going to meet with them, listen and engage.

"Each person who puts out the effort to run in an election has a unique experience, and I applaud every one of them", said Greig of his fellow candidates. "I would also like to congratulate those incumbents who lost their seats for their many years of valuable service to their community. I know they love the city."

Anne Finlay-Stewart is Community Editor of Owensoundhub.org. She can be reached at annekfs@gmail.com.