2026 Oxford County Municipal Election
Ingersoll — Mayor
We asked. Tim Lobzun 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 don’t wait for an election to try and make things better for my community or to brush up on what council is doing – It’s election time and this is when you get to actually make the decisions. My Dad would have been a good Mayor but he died at 59 – Mom is my guiding light – 97 years old – She said to me once about FB – Don’t put anything on there you can’t explain to me – So many issues – biggest one is the public and this term even council is being squeezed out of the information process – Folks want to be involved or atleast feel they are being listened to – I think the rest will follow.
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.
If the province wants to mandate something they should be prepared to fund it. Yes – I was quite involved with the local landfill fight which saw the promoter drop the project. Interesting that they started a landfill next to the one they currently run which is what I suggested at the beginning of the landfill fight.
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?
I am probably the most open and communicative person in Town – I am sure that will continue subject to legal restrictions.
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?
Back in the day staff acted on the direction of council – Staff laid out the information and answered questions from council – If a report came out that a councillor disagreed with they could speak against a motion without the fear of an Integrity Commission filing – We have to go back to that – Staff directs council too often.
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?
See Mom’s statement – I have reworded posts because it could be read 2 ways or deleted a post because it was causing uncivil debate and name calling.
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.
There is a report produced every year The BMA Municipal Study that compares over 100 municipalities on their year to year expenditures and other financial stats – It is a gold mine of information – Ingersoll staff decided this term to not share it with the public or even council until after the last budget passed. We are out of whack in comparison on a lot of things – Also – I want to look for revenue opportunities other than taxes or service charges.
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.
We see acres of land sitting dormant after developers grab it. Boundary adjustments are expensive and time consuming and expensive after they are signed and they take more land than needed. Growth pays for Growth and then we funnel that money back to the original municipality – We need to allow cross boundary servicing as long as both councils agree and stop these land grabs.
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.
There is a push on for smaller windmills that have no blades and become part of the landscape – Solar farms need to double crop – sun and greenery.
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 do not believe we have enough water to even consider it – I am not sure why they don’t have a way to harvest the extra heat in a closed loop rather than wasting water.
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.
That is a long and complicated scenario that can not be answered in 150 words.
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.
We need to push the province to cap all the abandoned gas wells that are leaking in Oxford. Oxford has a jump on reducing emissions and we need to balance the costs – I drive a new smaller car with a great warranty and gas mileage and I save 2 bucks every time I wash it – I couldn’t afford an electric or a used CRV.
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.
I think we need to do a better job as a society and in organizations of not promoting or electing narcissists – racists – masochists and the other cists – Then it will work out all by itself.
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.
If it makes sense do it.
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.
You can buy 30 Flock cameras for the salary of one police officer – I still think it would be hard to justify their use here – Maybe the province on the 401/2.
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.
Too broad of a question.
Questionnaire sent: September 8, 2026
Response received: September 9, 2026
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