After a lengthy debate, which was preceded by an hour-long forum on the issue, Chatham-Kent council opted not to seek a report on their own governance structure.
A notice-of-motion by Chatham Coun. Derek Robertson to spend $20,000 to have a consultant look into the size of council and the Chatham-Kent ward boundaries was defeated around the horseshoe.
“I have no grandiose plan,” Robertson said. “I want to show that the service review is not above us.”
Wallaceburg Coun. Carmen McGregor said she could not support Robertson’s motion, but feels the issue needs to be explored.
“Coun. Wesley and myself dealt with during election time a great number of people that lived just on the outskirts of Wallaceburg. There kids go to ours schools, they work in our communities, and they went to the polls thinking they were voting for Coun. Wesley and myself and found out that they were not. They’re very active, their kids are using our arena, our pools, our community, our library… but they are voting for councillors in a different ward. I think the wards need to be looked at a little better than what they have.”
McGregor added she was concerned with all the communities receiving proper representation.
“I don’t think having our wards done by population gives that. We are a unique community. We are always boasting about a ‘Made in C-K’ solution, we need a C-K solution for representation at this council table. Whether or not we need less councillors, I have a difficult time saying that because as a new councillor I find myself extremely busy on a part-time basis. I can’t even imagine if Wallaceburg was to go to one councillor.”
Wallaceburg Coun. Jeff Wesley said he is not adverse to changes to ward representation by population if small tweaks are done, but was opposed to automatically reducing the size of council.
“I haven’t heard that from anybody,” Wesley said. “I’ve been around since 1984… and I have not had anyone tell me that we need less councillors, at least in my area.”
Wesley added the agricultural and rural voice is crucial in Chatham-Kent.
“That is what makes Chatham-Kent unique. We’re not a Toronto, we’re not London. We’re unique and that is something that needs to be kept. We need to keep the rural and agricultural voice. If you start taking off portions of some of the rural wards and adding them to the urban ones… you could end up extending the boundaries to Chatham and/or Wallaceburg and taking in some of the rural areas. If you end up doing that, depending on how you hive it off you will have the urban areas forever being the representatives that sit on council and that is why the Ag or rural voice will be lost.”
Wesley said he hasn’t heard from the “people on the street” that they want council reduced.
“I appreciate having a few more people around the table who can give us that added, extra insight into an issue that I may not have.”
North Kent Coun. Leon Leclair agreed there was a need for the structure to be tweaked, but he could not support Robertson’s motion.
“We have 22 per cent of all the drains in Ontario. That is a niche, a need for rural areas. A representative from Chatham, would they know that need? When issues arise, would things get dealt with in a proper manner? I don’t believe it would.”
Leclair said reducing the size of council could limit who steps up to do the job.
“We’re at poverty level almost now. Double that, it’s a little over the poverty level. For some of us to give up our jobs, our businesses, we probably won’t do this job… which is maybe good, some people will say that but the crop of potential suitors for our jobs, would they come forward to the table, knowing this position at double the pay, is it a job worth doing at risk of their business or losing jobs.”
Leclair added: “The model is not perfect now, no not at all. Community groups are getting more and more on board. I think we need to go to them for direction for all of our communities, Mitchell’s Bay, Dresden, Pain Court, all have some sort of small groups that speak to their councillors. This is what their needs are and they even come to the table financially to make projects happen.”
The same issued was debated back in 2011, and any changes were  also shot down by council.
