Mandatory Retirement ?

[cakadu]

Emrald, I agree with the assessment you have given regarding both the councillors and the way things shape up in the rural community.

Having said that though, there are many times when new people want to get involved in various things in the community, but the long-time volunteers believe that only they know how to "get it done right" and there is only so much of that kind of thinking that people will put up with before they move on to other things. There has to be a willingness on the part of everyone to give a little in order to see the succession happen. New volunteers should not give up so quickly and older volunteers should be willing to recognize that there are new ways of doing things and new ideas that will come forward. Many of the smaller community organizations and events are falling by the wayside because there is a reluctance to try new things. There is only so many times that people will come and see or do the same thing.

Cowman, my own belief is that no matter how good a person is at what they do - be it volunteer, council etc, there comes a time when a successor must be trained (if a willing person exists) and the incumbent person move on. New blood, new ideas and a different perspective from which to view things is generally a good thing.

Emrald, some councillors have a real problem with having someone do more in their own area or division - unless the councillor knows that they have the person's full support and will not be a challenge to their seat. I know of one councillor who will actually say "I suppose you want MY seat" at the council table.

No matter if there is mandatory retirement or voluntary retirement, we need succession built in in order for organizations, companies, groups, associations etc. to continue to sustain themselves into the future.

[cakadu]

Linda, municipal politics should not be a make work project for councillors, but having said that, I know many councillors that have served numerous terms and are respected, hard working and keep current with trends, acts and regulations. Believe me they have stood the test of time, likely worked for almost no reneumeration for many years and have kept their municipalities out of hot water. On the other hand I have seen many cases of new councillors coming to the table with a hidden agenda, thinking that they know better than some that served the municipality well for years, making changes without consulting the public and gotten their municipality in a total wreck. I know I sound like a stuck record ( or CD as the case may be!) but a good mix of experience, new ideas and common sense on council and in administration results in a successfully run municipality.
Cowman I know every councillor that you speak of and you hit the nail on the head !!!! Your councillor is one heck of a nice lady, she is there for the good of the people not for personal gain. The councillor that got the boot was a mouthpiece if I ever saw one !!!!!

[cowman]

Linda: A councillor is elected. The people decide who they want. If new ideas are worthy then that person will get elected? Well if they can get it across that is! My councillor gives 100% effort, is not afraid to speak her mind, and gets results! Some people don't like her but everytime she is voted back in! She is old, she is cranky, she tells it how she sees it...my kind of gal!
Should a councillor step aside to let someone else have a crack at the job? Your former councillor just did that...although he told me he was also sick of the infighting that went on in the last council and had just had enough! He was blatantly called a liar at a town hall meeting and he was very offended...and I don't blame him one bit! I have found Elmer to always be a man of honor and a decent honest gentleman. Who needs that kind of crap?

[cowman]

In my view it takes at least two terms on a council to really be comfortable with ones knowledge of all aspects of the position. If you look around the province you will note that the councils that are constantly changing due to the public defeating candidates on a regular basis you will see municipalities with no consistency or vision because their elected officials aren't around long enough to develop any.
Any good councillor will row their replacement and likely will commence doing so in the last two years of their term when they decide they want to step aside. Any elected official that cares about their municipality will want to see good people in place and will seek out a good replacement.

[cakadu]

Both of you make very valid points and I think two or three terms does make sense in order to be of some value and effectiveness for the people who voted you in.

Coweman, the councillor you speak of also had other considerations that had to do more with his personal life. I have always liked him and found him to be decent and willing to talk, even explain a few things so that a person really understood what was happening.

My experience has been that some councillors are there for their own personal agendas, do not walk the talk that got them there and guard their "empire" with a pitbull mentality because it means everything to them. It's too bad more of them weren't willing to groom a successor as that would ensure that good people do stay around. I know of one elected official who put in his papers just before (or after, depending on who tells the story) the noon cut off and ended up with the mayor's job. Best person - who knows, but this person was the only one who filed papers so only time will tell.

The discussion should be broader than just elected people because we all know of people running organizations - whether for profit or not for profit - companies etc. that should have left a long time ago except they cannot see anyone else running the company.

I have a friend who is leaving her job after 5 years of helping to build the company up. She is now stepping aside for someone to take it in a new direction because she feels she has done all she can for the company. She has some good people around her, so it should be a fairly smooth transition. I give her credit for knowing herself well enough to know when it is time to leave.

We need more people that can think like that instead of with their egos.

The big thing with the retirement is that you have to have something to fill that "void". Maybe that's why so many ex-government employees become "consultants" and get hired back by the government. It seems to me that when you go to the same well you get the same water.

[cakadu]

When I was first elected I received some very good advice from a gentleman who had served his municipality and also the provincial board of AAMD C for many years. He said that after you are done your time on council you will have less money, less friends at home but will have forged many good relationships across the province.
I can assure you that being on council costs not the other way around.

[cakadu]

In the oilpatch many of the longtime employees are now consulting but the company's have amalgamated and changed names so often that it isn't too likely they are back working for their parent company.
Much of what the consultants are doing in many areas requires the expertise that comes from years of experience. I always feel that the best person to do the job should do the job regardless of how long they have been at it or how green they are.....people in the right fit do the best job for all concerned I think.