Editor: On Jan. 30, I was one of the organizers of a council candidate information session at the Moose Lodge. We had a great turnout of over 60 people who are interested in running for a seat on council, or on the school board.
I think this is going to be a stellar year for new candidates coming forward. New faces, new skills, new ideas and less groupthink will make for a better, more representative council.
The number one job of a municipal councillor and the mayor is to represent us, the constituents, and in my opinion that has been severely lacking in the last four years.
Election Day is Oct. 26. Due to ward restructuring changes, there will be three less seats, for a total of 15 seats on the next municipal council. Fourteen councillor seats and one mayoral seat are up for grabs.
There are currently 12 school board trustee positions. School board boundaries and the number of positions may change.
How much does it cost to run? Well, $200 for mayor and $100 for councillor or trustee. This cost is subject to reimbursement if you file a Candidate Financial Statement after the election.
Mayor base honorarium is $137,475 plus benefits per year. Councillor base honorarium is $43,451 plus $1,200 health care spending account per year. This is being evaluated by a council compensation committee who will come forward with their recommendations in the next few months.
School Board Trustee compensation is defined in the Education Act and is also based on the number of students enrolled in each board.
Five current Councillors have confirmed they are not seeking re-election. So far only four current councillors have confirmed they are running again and one of them is Michael Bondy who intends to run for mayor.
What does the mayor do? Leads council meetings, sets policy direction, and is the primary spokesperson for the Municipality.
What does a councillor do? Attends council meetings, decides on local issues, and sets the budget for services and overseeing the municipality.
What does a school board trustee do? Establishes policy, sets strategic vision, approves annual budgets, and hires the director of education.
What makes a good candidate? Ethical, community-focused, balancing listening to residents with making evidence-based decisions for the whole municipality. Fiscal literacy and strong communication skills to build consensus.
Voter turnout stats were dismal in the 2022 elections at 30 per cent, so get out there and vote. Your vote really does make a difference at the municipal level.
I hope you will consider representing your community to help make Chatham-Kent a better place to live and work.
Sheila Moir-Martin
Chatham
