Candidacy

Why do they do it? Folks with busy lives. Serious responsibilities. They have other people who need their time and energy. So why do folks run for council? It surely isn’t the money. Or power. Or glory. There is little of this dispensed at Shire Hall. Mostly it’s long hours. Reading endless reports. Listening to unhappy residents. Sitting through interminable meetings. Pushing your priorities against a wall of competing priorities or indifference. Lacking party structure, you are always alone—one against 13. It is hard, thankless work. Yet, every four years, folks raise their hands to do it. The County is better for their participation.

In this last week of the municipal election campaign, it is expected that we commend those who raise their hand and put themselves forward to sit on council. And while it may be expected, it cannot and does not diminish the deep appreciation we have for those who choose to step up.

It is more remarkable in an era of declining participation in municipal politics. According to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, 390 municipal seats were acclaimed (no one challenged the incumbent) in Ontario in 2014. Acclamations rose to 477 in 2018. This year there were 548 uncontested seats across the province. That’s nearly 20 percent of the elected seats without a race— where voters will have no choice.

Bucking that trend in Prince Edward County, candidates came forward to challenge incumbents in all nine wards, the mayoralty, and two public school board seats in this election. We are an engaged community.

It is up to voters now to do our part. Our job is easy. Mark a ballot—online or in person.

A heartfelt thank you goes to the folks who served. Mike Harper, Ernie Margetson, Jamie Forrester, Andreas Bolik, Bill McMahon and Stewart Bailey. While this column hasn’t always agreed with their decisions and priorities, their sincerity and good faith were never in doubt. Their participation made our community better. In the toughest of times.

Perhaps the next council can figure out how to pay themselves properly. The current arrangement is an artifact of a challenging amalgamation process 24 years ago. While pay for council members has bumped up incrementally since then, it remains nothing close to fair compensation for the time and energy required to do the job effectively. At a little more than $25,000 per year for a council member; it is well below the minimum wage of $31,000 in Ontario. Is that the signal we wish to send?

In Brant County, a single-tier municipality with similar characteristics to Prince Edward County, the least-paid council member earns $32,000 per year plus $8,000 in benefits. The mayor of Brant makes twice as much as our mayor.

Compensation is a measure of how much we value the work that is done. But no one wants to talk about that. When a Picton councillor raised the issue earlier this year, they were forced to retreat in the face of the false outrage of those who want others to notice the nobility of their sacrifice.

And, to be clear, it is a sacrifice, but that shouldn’t be the motivating factor for elected office. That folks will do the job for little or nothing doesn’t mean they should. Or that we should want that.

Poor remuneration also tends to confuse folks. More than a few candidates contending this cycle have described a council seat as a part-time job. It is not. Not by a long shot. Done effectively, the job is massively time-consuming.

The agenda for most council and committee meetings runs 200 pages or more. Sometimes many more. There are four such meetings a month. Plus committee assignments, including the library board and various advisory and ad hoc committees. Plus community outreach. Plus responding to emails and phone calls.

How does a council member make policy decisions if they haven’t invested the time to read, consider and reflect upon the arguments, evidence and implications presented in these agendas? Done properly, it is not a part-time job.

It is insulting how little we pay our elected folks— or would be if we were conscious of it at all. Instead, we howl every time the subject comes up—or demand some fealty to a benchmark such as the cost of living, never once asking ourselves if the premise is correct. Or sensible. Or justifiable.

Raising one’s hand to run for elected office is indeed a noble calling, but it is long past the time we asked folks to accept less than a minimum wage to do it.

rick@wellingtontimes.ca