The question

It’s your turn to answer the question: Is council too big?

It is now less than two months before the County goes to the polls to elect a new mayor and council. Slowly but surely, the beginnings of a campaign are starting to emerge.

At risk of being lost in the discussion is the fact that we will all be asked a question on the ballot this year: Are you in favour of council commencing a public consultation process to review the size of council for the County of Prince Edward?

The question emerged from a twoyear process to try and arrive at a new model for council. With 16 representatives, Prince Edward County boasts one of the largest council tables outside of the big cities. It was a formula forged during the murky debates around amalgamation. Some feel that the time has come to streamline council—reduce its members to under 10 and, in this way, manage County business more effectively and efficiently.

Others recall that prior to amalgamation residents had 57 municipal politicians they could call upon with their problem. They aren’t convinced that fewer councillors managing larger files makes sense. Then there are others who believe there are more pressing, and less divisive projects council should be pursuing.

Many flavours of these arguments have been offered over the past few years as first a council committee, then council and next the Ontario Muncipal Board chewed over the details. No matter how hard it tried, council was hopelessly deadlocked. Two citizens, Lyle McBurney and Jim McPherson, tried to force council to make a decision but the OMB rejected their appeal.

In the end, council opted to put the question to the people. While the issue has been a minor tempest in Shire Hall at times over these past two years—it has rarely animated the citizenry. And so it seems with the ballot question. Few are likely even aware that the question is looming on the Oct. 25 ballot. Others may be assuming the result won’t be binding. They could be right. Fifty per cent must vote in favour and at least 50 per cent of the eligible voters must vote on Oct. 25 for the result to be binding.

The hurdle is high but not insurmountable.

In the last municipal election just under 40 per cent of eligible voters did so. The average voter turnout for municipalities the size of Prince Edward County was just over 42 per cent. That said, there weren’t many mobilizing issues in the last election—there was no real race for mayor and few reasons to get excited about the outcome.

This election could be different. The race for mayor is wide open, featuring candidates with sharply different visions of government and the County. Issues of heritage, industrial wind factories, and management are at the fore.

These issues could drive interest higher and push the electorate to make their choice. Also this year, for the first time, County voters can vote online— giving seasonal and weekend residents the opportunity to vote from their weekday residence.

Even if these factors are unable to push turnout over 50 per cent, it will be very difficult for the next council to ignore a clear answer from the voters.

Ten communities included questions on the ballot in 2006. Fittingly four of these questions dealt with whether or not the municipality should drop its ward system in favour of an at-large (all voters elect all councillors, as the mayor is elected)—a theme that will resonate with those who have invested their time and energy into the debate since 2008.