Are more councillors needed in town?
That issue arose in the clerk’s report to council as part of the March 27 working meeting. Councillors were asked to determine if there is interest in adding two members and switching the town to the ward system.
Currently Erin is served by a mayor and four councillors – all elected at large.
Mayor Lou Maieron said he asked that item to be added “because in talking to the clerk, she said if we wanted to try and do anything like that, we’d have to get working on it – yesterday.”
Maieron said there is a time frame required for change.
“Residents have regularly spoken to me about this. They’ve even asked how they could make it happen under the Municipal Act.”
He asked clerk Kathryn Ironmonger if there is a method by which residents could ask for such a change. Maieron said the argument he heard was based on representation by population. “Some areas of the town feel that they don’t get a candidate who represents their concerns.”
Councillor Josie Wintersinger asked if some of the people calling the mayor would also like to contact some of the other councillors. “I’d be interested to know where and who this is coming from.”
Maieron said most of the comments have come from people in Erin village, “wondering why there was not an Erin village representative on council.”
Councillor Barb Tocher said, “Someone has to run, and someone has to vote for them – its that simple.”
Maieron said there are places like Crewson Corners and the Acton corner of the town where people feel they have never had a representative for their interests.
Tocher said, “Statistically, if you look at the results of an election, anyone who runs from south of [County Road] 124 usually gets in.”
Councillor John Brennan said he had not known that.
But, he said “I can’t see residents really wanting us to increase the cost of council by 40%. That flabbergasts me.”
Brennan said he has never favoured a ward system.
He suggested wards may have merit in a huge area such as the city of Toronto.
“I can’t see why the people south of 124 need a different type of representation than north of 124 – I can’t fathom that.”
Tocher said she is not a fan of the ward system, either.
“The places where I’ve seen it in place, you tend to get ward turf wars going on. Whereas if you are elected at large, like this council is, your obligation and duty is to represent everyone within the municipality – urban and-or rural.”
She said in an at-large system councillors have to take the time to understand the issues.
“It’s too easy to get into the arguments such as – my ward never gets any road repairs.”
Brennan said anyone in town can pick up the phone and call him about an issue.
“I don’t want to be in the position of having to tell someone [the issue] is not in my ward. It doesn’t sit well with me to increase the cost of councillors by 40%.”
Staff noted that even in a ward system, the representative does not necessarily have to live within that ward.
Maieron contended the ward system is not unusual for Wellington County municipalities. He cited examples of Guelph-Eramosa, Centre Wellington and Wellington North Townships.
He noted Minto, which has a lower population than Erin, has seven councillors.
Maieron also believed with the potential amount of work coming, extra councillors may be necessary.
Ironmonger said while residents can have a petition asking for a change, it would need to represent a certain percentage of the population.
Tocher said the question could also be placed on the next election ballot.
Ironmonger added the number of councillors and the ward system are two separate issues.
