2014

DAVID PICKLES

Ward 3 City Councillor

This year's grade: A-

Last year's grade: A-

Attendance: Council 11/11, committee 17/18

Expenses: $10,809

Councillor David Pickles is an expert on his ward and quick to respond to concerns from residents.

He is knowledgeable on the issues and comes to meetings prepared with good questions and helpful motions.

This year he fought for rural residents, asking the City to look into paving more rural roads and investigate a new outdoor rink for Claremont.  He provided helpful input during the budget and worked hard during the ice storm to keep residents informed.

Even though he typically votes alongside Councillors Dickerson and Ashe, he breaks with the pattern if it benefits the city and generally tries to sidestep the drama on council.

2013

DAVID PICKLES

Ward 3 City Councillor

This year's grade: A-

Last year's grade: A-

Attendance: Committee 17/19 Council 11/11

Expenses: $11,825

Councillor David Pickles brought the casino issue back to council for a successful second vote, giving Pickering important leverage in any future negotiations with Ajax for a share of gaming profits.  He is quick to respond to residents' concerns, as he did when introducing motions for traffic-calming and new pedestrian signals to address safety worries in his ward.  He also provides valuable input at meetings, taking possible future impacts of decisions into account before voting and largely avoiding any conflicts that arise between councillors.

2012

DAVID PICKLES

Ward 3 City Councillor

This year's grade: A-

Last year's grade: A-

Attendance: Committee 19/20 Council 11/11

Expenses: $6,846

Coun. David Pickles is quick to get involved on issues that affect his ward as well as the city as a whole.  When residents came forward with repeated concerns regarding traffic in the Major Oaks Road and Dellbrook Avenue area he put forward a motion to council with suggestions on how to address issues of speeding, which resulted in new stop signs being installed.  He also put forward a successful but contentious motion to ban shark fins after nearby cities including Toronto and Mississauga moved to enact bans.

While he often votes with fellow councillors Kevin Ashe and Doug Dickerson and Mayor Dave Ryan, he will still break away to vote in support of his community, as he did during a recent vote to extend City leases on homes slated for demolition on the Pickering federal lands.

2011

DAVID PICKLES

Ward 3 City Councillor

This year's grade: A-

Last year's grade: A-

Committee: 17/18

Council: 11/11

Expenses: $8,029

Coun. Pickles gets involved in local heritage issues and continues to oppose a possible airport in north Pickering.  He successfully convinced the federal government to halt demolitions of a number of the buildings considered significant to the municipality until an alternate plan could be made.  He stood up for Whitevale residents concerned about losing the serenity of their village with the future development of Seaton, by presenting a number of amendments on the issue when the neighbourhood plans came to council.  He's intelligent enough to acknowledge that some development will go ahead despite council's position, such as the northeast Pickering lands, and urges staff and councillors to plan for it the best way possible rather than fight a losing battle.

2010

DAVID PICKLES

Ward 3 City Councillor

This year: A-

Last year: B+

Committee: 19/19

Council: 18/18

Expenses: $18,202

Coun. Pickles has perfect attendance and keeps his expenses quite low.  He often seems to be the voice of reason on council, keeping finances and legalities in mind.  He's put forward a number of motions this year, contributing to his improved grade, including asking the Region to hire a Durham-wide integrity commissioner, and to reinstate Pickering's vote for the direct election of the Regional chairman.  He's also asked Pickering staff to create an incentive plan to attract smart development to the city without decreasing Pickering's revenue.

2009

DAVID PICKLES

Ward 3 City Councillor

Last year: B+

This year: B+

Attendance: Council: 16/17 Executive committee: 12/12

Expenses: $7,532

Travel: $10,830

Coun. Pickles continues to raise reasonable points.  He's consistent in showing his opposition to a possible airport, such as reconfirming the City's opposition to it, and criticizing the Region for continuously identifying an airport on its maps for future plans.  Also, he argues these points in a reasonable way.  For example, when he heard rumours the federal government was planning to give $2 billion to the construction of an airport, he said it would be wrong, not only because he's against it, but also, it would take away from other much more needed, shovel-ready projects, such as transit and road projects.

2008

DAVID PICKLES

Ward 3 City Councillor

Last year: B

This year: B+

Attendance: council, 16/16, executive committee, 10/10

Expenses: $4,512

Coun. Pickles's grade increased because he's been more vocal at meetings and his logic stands out.  For example, rather than simply closing down the Greenwood Library due to a ruined foundation and broken furnace, he talked council into putting $50,000 into a contingency fund so money will be available if repairs go ahead.  He spent the least on expenses and had an energy audit conducted on his home to see how he can personally reduce energy consumption.

2007

DAVID PICKLES

Ward 3 City Councillor

This year: B

Last year: B

Attendance: local council and special council: 22/22, executive committee: 11/11

Expenses: local $10,832

Coun. Pickles has a passion for his community which is very evident.  He's shown initiative in promoting better access for low-income families to the Pickering Recreation Complex and sits on many committees and boards, such as the Roadwatch Committee and the Duffins Creek Watershed Task Force.  It's hard to bend Council's arm, but it would be good to see his ideas pushed through.  He's usually vocal at meetings, and his vast environmental knowledge is evident.