A public meeting will be held in council chambers at the Civic Centre Monday, February 12 at 4 p.m. to collect public input regarding putting a question on the 2018 municipal ballot pertaining to reducing the size of Chatham Kent Council.
The issue came forth as the result of a successful motion by Chatham Coun. Doug Sulman at council’s Monday, January 29 meeting.
If council agrees, the question “Effective the term of Council beginning December 2022, the number of Councillors in Chatham-Kent be reduced?” would be placed before voters during the October 22, 2018 municipal election.
The full legal notice of the meeting can be found at https://www.chatham-kent.ca/News/Pages/Public-meeting-regarding-size-of-Chatham-Kent-Council.aspx.
Municipal officials say the purpose of the public meeting is to hear any person in support or in opposition to the proposed by-law.
Written submissions can also be submitted to Judy Smith, Director Municipal Governance/Clerk, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, 315 King Street West, Chatham, ON, N7M 5K8 or to ckclerk@chatham-kent.ca until Monday, February 12, 2018, at 3:00 p.m.
Comments may also be contributed at https://www.letstalkchatham-kent.ca/
Under provisions of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended, referendum results will be binding on the municipality, subject to some exceptions, if at least 50 per cent of eligible voters vote on the question.
If this question receives a binding ‘yes’ result, Chatham-Kent Council will initiate the process under the Municipal Act, 2001 to reduce the size of municipal Council.
If this question receives a binding ‘no’ result, Chatham-Kent Council will not consider or pass another resolution to take the necessary steps to reduce the size of municipal Council during the 2018-2022 term of Council.
What do you think?
Feel free to vote in our poll below:
[polldaddy poll=”9930618″]
It depends on who will be reduced ie Wallaceburg has 2 councilors I would not recommend cutting that down to 1 it would be a very heavy work load for 1 the same goes for my ward we have 2 councillors cutting that down to 1 would be the same result. Now the city of Chatham is a different story but I do not feel qualified to say that it should be cut by 1 or 2 councillors and putting the question on a ballot is wrong most voters are like me unqualified and inexpierenced to make a justified and educated decision.
I applauded the previous comment by Fred. One it takes courage to admit the format on a ballot will have flaws. Such as not being given full and transparent Information to know what a) smaller council means, b) what if any efficiency will be created, c) what is the municipal act spell out in term of the process is to under go. D) will there be boundary lines, e) do we need boundary lines at all, f) what is the motivation by counslor Sulman to bring this motion forward now?
My personal fee is regional protectionism and not being able to think about Ck as whole of its parts rather than as a forced group of u interested parties or silos that otherwise think singularily.
I think more transparency is required before a vote can be hade to ensure we are educated in facts before acts.
Every councillor needs a cause and an accomplishment to hang their hat on. The less we have, the less garbage decisions made at council. Collect my garbage. Make sure my toilets flush. And don’t zone junk yards in traditional town limits. No underused bike lanes that need maintenance. No extraneous “traffic calming” measures. No idiot P Engs who say numbers isn’t their thing (a blatant lie). This council needs to be shrunk to zero.