Expert urges candidates to do homework before entering local election

With the fall municipal election six months away, about 75 people contemplating entering the race got some advice on what to expect if they win a seat.

Municipal expert and lawyer Fred Dean spent about two hours talking about life in a council seat with potential candidates, including current council members who may be seeking re-election and newcomers who have entered or are considering entering the race, as well as municipal staff.

The candidate information meeting, held in the Aboyne Hall on April 24, was hosted by Wellington County and its seven lower tier municipalities.

“The minute you are elected people will see you differently and treat you differently,” Dean said of what candidates can expect if elected.

“In smaller communities you are out there 24-7.”

Dean said the first step a candidate should consider before putting their name forward is attending a council meeting to see how meetings are conducted.

“If you’re thinking of running for council and you’ve never attended a council meeting, shake your head,” he advised. “Your life will never be the same. You will be under the microscope and the microscope is getting stronger.”

Dean said councillors have to be aware of provincial regulations governing how municipal councils conduct business and how councillors act in their capacity as elected officials.

The Municipal Act defines how meetings are conducted, when a council can close a meeting to the public, an elected official’s relationship to how municipal staff work in their respective departments, and what constitutes a quorum or majority of council when dealing with municipal matters.

Dean also advised elected officials to gather full knowledge of all aspects of the municipality’s procedural bylaw, which covers how an individual council deals with issues at the local level, including the creation of committees expected to help advise council on specific issues.

“This is a really complex business,” he said of municipal work and administration.

“All municipal powers come from the province.”

The regulations, Dean explained, apply the same to single tier, two-tier or regional governments.

Wellington County employs a two-tier system, with seven lower tier municipalities conducting their business, in addition to the upper level county council. Powers between the two are shared and are dependent on each other in such matters as planning.

Under the county system, services are divided with most lower tier municipalities in charge of their own water and waste treatment facilities, recreation, roads and bridges. Services provided by the county include waste management and policing.

“There are over 100 services provided by municipalities,” Dean said.

He also suggested anyone running for a council seat based on just one issue should “think about what you’re getting into.”  In the case of a single-issue candidate, Dean said if the issue also involves a conflict of interest on the part of the councillor, “you won’t be able to deal with it.”

Amendments to the Municipal Act are aimed, said  Dean, at making municipal government more accountable and open to residents.

“You will find your life is going to be completely changed and people will think you are accountable to them,” he said.

He said candidates who are elected find their new responsibilities also impact their family life.

“That’s what really shocks people,” he said.

Dean advised councillors read and be familiar with all correspondence regarding services provided by their municipality to reduce the chance of being held personally responsible should an incident occur. He particularly mentioned the responsibilities contained in provincial safe water regulations.

“You need to understand what it means to exercise due diligence when you operate a water system,” Dean said.

“You have an obligation in law to read every single word of every piece of paper you are getting.”

He advised any new member elected to council should be trained in regulations governing safe water.

Taking the example of a five-member council, Dean said regulations that govern open meetings can come into play if three members of council are travelling to an event and discussing municipal business.

“That’s a meeting for municipal business,” he said, noting such a scenario could be raised by a constituent as an improperly-held council meeting.

Dean’s firm currently handles municipal investigations for some 130 municipalities in Ontario.

The division between council responsibilities and staff is also clear, Dean said, with council passing bylaws and staff ensuring they are carried out.

He urged potential candidates to discuss their intention seriously with close family before seeking election.

Candidates looking for what an election campaign might cost were told to contact their local municipal clerk for information on funding and expenses.

“It opened my eyes,” said a Drayton resident who is considering running for Mapleton council, but declined to be named when asked by the Advertiser.

“I’m really passionate about my community,” she added. “I think there are some changes that could be made (to council).

The resident’s spouse said he “would be happy,” if she ran.

Hillsburgh resident Pierre Brianceau, who has previously sat as a school board trustee, said the information provided at the meeting was enough for him to consider filing papers.

He expects he will seek a county council position.

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