Municipal Elections

[coppertop]

Nomination Day in Alberta is September
20th. Many times we read criticisms of
our local government but how many people
are willing to try and effect the
changes they feel are necessary by
putting their name on a ballot and
seeking to become an elected
representative on the local council ? In
our area we have one candidate running
solely on the platform of building a new
20 million dollar swimming pool, one
candidate running to REFORM the way
council conducts business. The candidate
seeking REFORM has never read the
Procedural By-Law that governs the way
council conducts meetings !!!
In every community across the province
there are many well qualified citizens
who have always put their community
first, and have a long record of
volunteer service, but for some reason
very few of these individuals are
willing to seek election to their local
councils.

[per]

It isn't all apathy Coppertop. There are some realities that need to be considered. In our MD the time commitment is quite considerable making it nearly a full time job. That would require my business to be without me for far more time than it can presently afford. Also in my and several other cases we already sit on several boards, industry and otherwise. Most of these would have to be given up. The bright side for me is that the incumbent has been doing a good job and likes his role and will be running again. I am preparing for 3 years from now.

[coppertop]

There is a huge time commitment if a
municipal politician is going to give
the electorate the type of
representation they have a right to
expect.
Individuals who run on one issue or run
because they think it is 'cool' are
scary. They have no concept of what the
role entails. Any individual who is
interested in entering the race should
be reviewing past minutes of their
council, should attend and observe
council and committee meetings so they
understand process and issues that are
being debated and decided upon.
It isn't easy making tough decisions
such as land uses, infrastructure
projects etc. Anyone considering
running needs to know that they will
never please everyone and at the end of
the day they may have less friends
locally than they did before they
entered municipal politics, however
individuals who seek positions on their
municipal councils for the right reasons
will surely be rewarded in the
satisfaction of knowing that they have
made a difference in their community.

[wilagro]

coppertop: You must live in a different country than we do. All or most of our councilors are self-seeking opportunists looking out for number one. They use their credit cards to the max and hire all of their relatives that they can for the county jobs. Its a clique and they like it that way.

[coppertop]

wilagro, our councillors do NOT have
credit cards and nobody on staff of our
county is related to any of the
councillors or the Reeve. Our county
council had several members who were
self serving but the citizens took care
of that a few years ago. Nobody on
council uses a county credit card on
their own. Councillors are not on a
salary, only paid per authorized
meeting. Any meetings attended between
council meetings that have not been
approved must be ratified by all council
in order for the councillor in question
to be paid for attending. I think many
municipal councillors are trashed in
their communities, some deserve it but
most don't. I look at the number of
people who seek a seat on councils
during election years and also at the
percentage of the electorate that
actually vote. If municipalities get a
rotten council it is likely their own
fault for being either complacent or
apathetic or both.