Staff will be looking into the possibility of changing the boundaries of Chatham-Kent’s two largest urban areas – Wallaceburg and Chatham.
A notice of motion by Wallaceburg Coun. Carmen McGregor was approved by council, to have administration investigate changing Wallaceburg’s boundaries to include residents living on the fringe of Ward 5.
“It did spike a lot of conversation in my own community,” McGregor said. “I would like to look at it and identify it. I know Coun. Wesley and myself spoke to many people throughout the election. I’m referring strictly to the people that live on that urban fringe of Wallaceburg.
McGregor said these people have a connection to Wallaceburg.
“They’re people that maybe work in Wallaceburg, their kid’s go to school in Wallaceburg, they shop in Wallaceburg, they volunteer in Wallaceburg, they go to church in Wallaceburg. When they go to the poll, nothing wrong with voting for councillors in another area, but then they are voting for somebody in Dresden,” she said.
“I’m not looking for any areas where there is any rural attachment to it because I think the councillors in the other ward very well represent their constituents in their area. I’m looking for a report to examine the ones on the very urban fringe of Wallaceburg, where their interests may be better represented by voting for councillors within the ward of Wallaceburg.”
Council also approved an amendment to McGregor’s motion by South Kent Coun. Karen Herman, to include Chatham’s fringe in the report.
“I think that previous motions when we discussed ward boundaries was just a little too deep for what we need to accomplish. Speaking with my colleagues both in Ward 4 and in my ward, there are similarities,” Herman said.
“I think it is very important that all of us get the research, get the information and then we can go from there.”
Chatham Coun. Brock McGregor did not agree with Carmen McGregor’s motion, adding that a third party needs to be conducted,
“Our current system violates the fundamental principle of fair governance, representation by population,” he said. “If we start micro-managing boundaries we will be serving to aggravate our already serious issue. We have to look at the big picture. Elected officials should not be the one’s holding the sharpie and re-drawing ward boundaries. The only way to address, an out-of-date, ineffective boundary is by supporting a third party review, with community input and being prepared to take action on it.”
North Kent Coun. Joe Faas said he has concerns moving forward.
“The original motion, I had no problem with because it probably needs some tweaking. Now you are looking at it to include the city. My fear, but I think the reality could be there, that there could be an adjustment in ward representation. My fear is that Chatham may get another representative and Ward 4 or even Ward 2 might lose a representative. I think we’re going down a slippery slope when we do that.”
West Kent Coun. Bryon Fluker said this is not “re-amalgamation.
“This does not go back to the Peter Meyboom days. This goes back to community of interest. People live on the fringe, they’re connected to Wallaceburg, they’re connected to Chatham. In Tilbury, Merlin area, this is not what we hear. This is not an issue, it seems to be an issue in the big urban areas,” Fluker said.
Mayor Randy Hope said he has no problem dealing with council size and shrinking it.
“But I want to make sure that it is the body of council, the majority and the mass majority. 50 plus one, we’ll be spending more time arguing about it. If you have mass support as a council body to move it forward, it can be more productive with a better outcome. If we draw a division line of 50 plus one, then where are we.”
The staff report is due back in September.
