2026 Oxford County Municipal Election
City of Woodstock — Mayor
We asked. Jerry Acchione answered. You decide.
Answers are published as submitted.
I. Candidate & Municipal Governance
1. Candidate Introduction
Please introduce yourself to the residents of Oxford County. Briefly tell us why you are running for municipal office, what principles or values would guide you as an elected official, and what you believe is the most important issue facing the municipality you are seeking to represent. What would you do about it?
I’m Jerry Acchione, Mayor of Woodstock, and I’m running for another term because I care deeply about this community. I’ve served on Council since 2014. I believe in listening to residents, being transparent about decisions and treating taxpayers’ money with the utmost respect.
Our biggest challenge is managing growth while keeping Woodstock affordable. New housing and jobs must be supported by roads, infrastructure and services we can afford to maintain. I will continue to push for responsible growth, better roads and community spaces, and practical help for people facing homelessness and other challenges. In uncertain times, we need steady leadership and careful choices about what we spend.
2. Local vs. Provincial Authority
Municipalities are increasingly affected by decisions, policies and requirements established by the provincial government. What degree of local discretion do you believe municipalities should have when provincial direction affects decisions within municipal jurisdiction? When, if ever, should a municipality challenge or oppose provincial direction? Please explain.
The Province sets many rules that municipalities must follow, but local councils know their communities. We should have a meaningful say when provincial decisions affect local planning, services or costs.
I will continue to speak up when a provincial requirement creates an unfair financial burden or does not work for Woodstock. If Council considers a formal challenge, residents should know why, what it could cost and what we hope to achieve. We must be willing to stand up for local interests while being careful with taxpayer dollars.
3. Accountability & Access
Once elected, how will you maintain open communication and accountability with your constituents? What level of access should residents have to you, and what responsibility do you have to explain and defend your decisions and votes, particularly when constituents disagree with them?
Residents should be able to contact me, ask questions and get a respectful answer. I will continue to be available by phone, email and in person, including to people who disagree with me.
I believe I have a responsibility to explain my votes in plain language: what the options were, what they would cost and why I made my choice. When Council makes a difficult decision, residents deserve the full picture. Being transparent also means listening afterward and being willing to reconsider an approach if it is not working.
4. Staff vs. Elected Council
What do you believe is the proper division of responsibility between municipal staff and elected council? What decisions should be made by staff, what decisions should be made by council, and what responsibility should elected officials retain for decisions recommended or implemented by staff?
Council sets priorities, approves budgets and policies, and makes the major decisions. Staff provide professional advice, run day-to-day operations and carry out those decisions.
Council members must ask questions, examine costs and consider other options before voting. A staff recommendation does not take away our responsibility for the decision. At the same time, elected officials should respect staff expertise and should not interfere in individual employment or operational matters. Residents should be able to see who made a decision and hold their elected representatives accountable for it.
5. Candidate Social-Media History
Have you ever deleted, hidden or substantially altered past social-media posts or other publicly available online content because you believed it might affect how voters viewed you or your candidacy? If so, what did you change and why?
I don’t recall an occasion that I changed a social media post that I’ve made in the past. I’d be cautious of anyone that wouldn’t be willing to stand by what they’ve written in the past publicly.
II. Taxes, Growth & Development
6. Taxes & Services
What annual municipal property-tax increase do you consider reasonable over the next four years? If maintaining existing services would require an increase above that level, what principles would you use to determine which services or expenditures should be reduced, delayed or eliminated instead? Please explain.
I would aim to keep annual municipal property-tax increases around inflation (or less) as we can’t offer less services to our residents and everyone’s costs do unfortunately increase annually. I will not promise a fixed number before seeing the budgets. Inflation, infrastructure needs and other pressures can change quickly.
My approach will continue to be fiscally conservative: review spending carefully, look for efficiencies, question new commitments and consider whether projects can be phased in or delayed. I would protect essential services and maintain what we already own before taking on costs we cannot sustain. If Council believes a higher increase is necessary, residents deserve a clear explanation of the alternatives, the cost of each one and what services would be affected.
7. Population Growth & Agricultural Land
Oxford County’s current planning projections anticipate substantial population growth over the coming decades, creating increasing pressure on agricultural land. Should Oxford plan to accommodate the projected level of growth, or should the County and its municipalities seek to influence the rate and/or location of future growth? When development competes with agricultural and food-production uses, should agricultural land and food production receive priority? What principles should guide these decisions? Please explain.
Oxford must plan for growth, but we should influence where it happens and ensure communities can afford the infrastructure it requires. In Woodstock, I would look first at opportunities to make good use of land and services within the existing city.
Our farmland is extremely valuable and difficult to replace. Prime agricultural land and food production deserve strong protection. Before supporting expansion onto farmland, I would want to see the need for it, the alternatives considered and the full cost of roads, water and other services. Growth should pay its fair share and make sense for the long term.
III. Energy & Major Development
8. Wind & Utility-Scale Solar
What is your position on industrial wind turbine and utility-scale solar developments in Oxford County? If your municipality were asked to determine whether it should be a willing or unwilling host for a large-scale wind or solar project, how would you vote, and what factors would guide your decision? Please explain.
I would judge a large wind or solar proposal on its specific merits. I would not vote to make Woodstock a willing host without reviewing its location, effect on neighbours and farmland, infrastructure costs, local benefits and plans for eventual removal.
Residents must have a meaningful chance to speak before Council decides. I would vote against a project if serious concerns were left unresolved or if the costs and loss of productive land outweighed the benefits. If a proposal addressed those concerns and made financial sense for the community, I would consider supporting it. Council should explain its decision and the evidence behind it.
9. Data Centres
What is your position on approving data centres in Oxford County? Under what circumstances, if any, would you support one? How should council weigh its potential economic benefits against demands on electricity, water, land and other municipal infrastructure? Please explain.
I would consider a data centre if it were in an appropriate location and its benefits justified its demands on electricity, water, land and infrastructure. The developer should pay its fair share of any upgrades needed.
Council should ask for reliable figures on permanent jobs, tax revenue, utility use and long-term costs before making a decision. We should not approve a project based only on the size of the announced investment. I would want the financial and infrastructure implications made public so residents can understand what the community stands to gain and what it would be taking on.
IV. Property Rights, Environment & Climate
10. Property Rights & Environmental Regulation
What principles should determine the balance between private property rights and municipal environmental regulation? What limits, if any, should municipalities place on environmental restrictions affecting the use of privately owned rural land? Please explain.
Property owners should be able to make reasonable use of their land. Municipalities also have a responsibility to protect neighbours, drinking water and natural areas when one property’s use affects others.
Restrictions should be based on evidence, clearly explained and no broader than needed. Owners, especially farmers whose livelihoods depend on their land, should have a chance to be heard. I would also ask what a proposed rule will cost to administer and whether it will achieve its purpose. Residents deserve fair rules and a clear explanation of why they are necessary.
11. Climate Change & CO₂
What role, if any, do you believe carbon dioxide emissions play in climate change? What responsibility, if any, should municipal government have for addressing climate-related issues, and should municipal taxpayers fund those efforts? Please explain.
Carbon dioxide emissions from human activity contribute to climate change. Municipal government has a practical role in preparing infrastructure for flooding, extreme heat and severe weather, and in managing its own energy costs.
I support investments that have a clear local benefit, such as reducing utility bills or protecting roads and facilities from damage. In an uncertain financial climate, taxpayers should know what a project costs, what it is expected to achieve and whether it delivered. We should focus on practical, affordable measures within municipal responsibility.
V. Municipal Policy & Public Institutions
12. DEI, Hiring & Public Services
When municipal government makes decisions about hiring employees or providing services, what role, if any, should a person’s race, ethnicity, sex, disability, newcomer status or other demographic characteristics play? Do you support mandatory diversity, equity and inclusion training for municipal employees, and should municipal taxpayers fund it? Please explain.
Municipal employees should be hired through a fair process based on qualifications and the ability to do the job. Residents should be treated with dignity and have fair access to services, including people who face barriers because of a disability.
I support practical staff training that helps employees serve the public well and meet their responsibilities. If training is mandatory and paid for by taxpayers, Council should know its content, cost and purpose. I would expect the same scrutiny we apply to other spending: does it help staff do their jobs and provide better service?
13. International Policy Frameworks
What role, if any, should international policy frameworks such as the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals play in municipal decision-making? If municipal policies are influenced by such frameworks, what responsibility does council have to ensure that those decisions remain transparent and accountable to local residents? Please explain.
International frameworks can provide ideas, but decisions for Woodstock and Oxford County belong to locally elected councils. A policy should stand on its local merits, legal requirements and cost to residents.
If an international framework influences a staff recommendation, that should be stated openly. Council should explain which parts it proposes to adopt, why they would help our community and what they would cost. Residents must be able to review and question a proposal before Council votes. Transparency matters regardless of where an idea originated.
VI. Public Safety, Privacy & Emergency Powers
14. Flock Cameras & Surveillance
What is your position on the use of Flock cameras and other automated licence-plate recognition (ALPR) or camera-based surveillance systems by municipalities for public safety? What limits, if any, should apply to their use, and how should council balance public safety with residents’ privacy? Please explain.
I would consider licence-plate recognition or other cameras only if there were a clear public safety need and evidence they would help. Residents should know where they are used, what information is collected, who can access it, how long it is kept and what the system costs.
Any proposal should receive a privacy review and come before Council publicly. There should also be regular reporting on results. If a system is not producing a clear safety benefit, Council should be prepared to end it. Public safety matters, and so do privacy and responsible spending.
15. Public-Health Emergency Powers
If another public-health emergency occurred, what restrictions, if any, should a municipality be able to impose on access to municipal buildings, facilities, programs or community activities? What role should elected council have in approving or overseeing such restrictions, and what limits should apply to municipal authority during an emergency? Please explain.
In a public-health emergency, temporary rules may be needed to keep municipal facilities and programs safe. Restrictions should be based on current advice, fall within municipal authority and last only as long as necessary. My greatest hope is we never face Provincial restrictions again in our future.
If required though, Council should be informed promptly, review restrictions regularly and explain them to residents. That includes the reasons for a rule, its effect on access to services and any costs involved. Wherever possible, people should still have a way to use essential municipal services. Emergency decisions require both timely action and public accountability.
Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about me, my thoughts and principles.
Don’t forget to VOTE on October 26! 😊
Questionnaire sent: September 8, 2026
Response received: September 23, 2026
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