Central Frontenac Council - Sep 10/13

Julie Druker | Sep 11, 2013

Public cheers as CF Council votes to remain as is

Cheers and applause echoed through Oso Hall as a motley crew of attendees at a public meeting on Tuesday night, September 10, showed their support for Central Frontenac council's final decision to keep the council “as is”.

Before the vote, members of the public who were in attendance weighed heavily on the side of maintaining the status quo. Prior to the public having their say, CAO Larry Donaldson had outlined a KPMG service review report that recommended that council reduce its size to achieve a savings of $25,000 per year. Donaldson listed a number of options to reduce council's size either to a seven, six or five-member council, with the mayor being elected at large (i.e. by the entire electorate) and the councilors either being elected by ward or at large.

Upholding democracy was one reason given by many members of the public who spoke at the meeting who wanted to see council remain as nine members with councilors elected by ward.

Logan Murray, a former Kennebec councilor and mayoralty candidate, said he was amazed at how our democratic institutions are deteriorating.

“It used to be that when a council wanted to do this kind of thing, it has to be put on a ballot. This is a foolish idea and it is much more about eliminating opposition than saving money. It is not going to save any money; it's going to reduce people's democratic access to their representatives," Murray said.

Central Frontenac resident Lynn Shwadchuck agreed with Murray.

“I have wondered at times if electing councilors at large might be a better way to go but now I think otherwise. We need representation for everyone, everywhere.” Resident Justin Gray agreed as well and added, “If you want to save money look at the roads and get it right the first time. I agree that we should uphold the status quo and keep council as is.”

Former Central Frontenac Councilor Phillip Smith spoke from his own experience, stating that the size of the council should remain as it is due to amount of work required and said councilors should continue being elected by ward.

After addressing a number of questions from the public regarding specific details about the report, Councilor Norm Guntensperger took the bull by the horns and put forth a motion that was seconded by Councilor Wayne Millar to uphold the status quo and keep council as it is. Councilor Heather Fox stated that she was not prepared to vote on a motion at that time and she put forth a motion to defer, which was seconded by Councilor Jeff Matson. Councilor Bill Snyder requested a recorded vote. Councilors Snyder, Dewey, Smith, Guntensperger and Millar voted not to defer. This forced council to vote on Guntensperger’s motion to uphold the status quo. In a second recorded vote Councilor Fox stated that she was opposed, and councilors Matson and Mayor Gutowski also voted no. The others voted to uphold the status quo and those members of the public who spoke at the meeting left feeling that they got exactly what they had come out for.

The decision to keep the same council structure in Central Frontenac echoes the decisions made by both North and South Frontenac over the summer. For the 2014 municipal election, all of the townships will maintain a ward system with two representatives elected in each ward and a mayor elected through an at-large vote by electors in all of the wards.

The mayors will automatically sit on Frontenac County Council, as they do now, and the second County representative for each township will be chosen by each township council at their first meeting following the election.