Tessa Swanton (Townson),
Bruce Peninsula Press
On May 14th, Bruce County and its eight lower tier local municipalities hosted an information session focused on the responsibilities, realities, and rewards of running for Municipal Council. Michelle Smibert and Michelle Casavecchia-Somers with “Clerks on Call”, former Municipal Clerks and Chief Administrative Officers (CAO), facilitated the session welcoming aspiring councillors from across the County questioning what it really means to run for Council. Smibert is also the Deputy Mayor for the Municipality of Thames Centre.
Deputy Bruce County CAO, Sean Morphy, opened the evening, “It’s always encouraging meeting residents who are interested in learning more about governance and public service…your presence here tonight plays a vital role in local democracy.” If elected as mayor, your second role will be serving on County Council.
Municipalities are not stand-alone governments but controlled under The Municipal Act, a rule book for Ontario municipalities. Councillors spend a lot of time explaining to constituents why certain issues fall outside of municipal jurisdiction. In the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula (MNBP), the structure is a two-tier system with MNBP acting as the lower-tier municipality under the upper-tier municipality, Bruce County. MNBP delivers essential local services and makes policy decisions.
The Clerks on Call presented some “readiness questions” for the attendees to ask themselves to help determine if they are in fact prepared to serve on Council. Those with experience attending council meetings, participating on a committee, serving on Council in the past, or being involved on a Board of Directors, will possess a better understanding of how to serve on Council.
Smibert said, “It’s an awesome opportunity to serve your community, have the opportunity to shape how your community is going to look for your children and your children’s children.”
Council members are directly accountable to their constituents. The key fundamentals of municipal government are “openness, accountability and transparency.” There are different types of meetings you may attend as a councillor. Closed sessions (personnel, legal, and land issues) must remain confidential and not be discussed with anyone, including close friends and family. Council conduct is under constant public scrutiny.
Councillors follow a Code of Conduct that covers integrity and respectful interactions. Smaller municipalities have more conflicts of interest as councillors are more likely to be closely connected to their community. Councillors must disclose pecuniary interests (financial interests that could affect judgement) during meetings and avoid participating. “When in doubt, disclose and step out,” stated Smibert.
Council governs collectively and acts as a team to set a strategic vision, adopt by-laws, budgets, and policies. Decisions are made by majority vote. The CAO is the sole employee of Council. Municipal staff are not managed by Council. They are subject matter experts under the CAO and manage daily operations and prepare reports with recommendations for Council.
Council members can expect a time comitment of around 15-20 hours per week to attend meetings, read agendas, reply to emails and phone calls. Salaries rarely reflect the time spent on Council as some lose money paying for childcare and missing work. Councillors must expect media exposure and public incivility which is a growing concern across Canada with online hate speech becoming more prevalent and damaging. The position can be psychologically draining. Handling complaints and emotionally charged civilians is part of the job.
An ideal Council consists of a variety of voices, ages, genders, cultures, and experiences. Councils guide communities through growth, change, and crisis. Smibert explained that councillors are not expected to know everything, and the best councillors are curious, prepared and respectful.
When reflecting on your decision to run for Council, ask yourself what you want to achieve and accept that it may take time. Determine if you have support from your family and employer. Ask yourself if you are comfortable allowing staff to handle operations as the job is about governance not control. Decide if you can make decisions for the broader interest of the public. You must be able to step back from a vote if a family member is affected and be able to manage public criticism. Closed session information must remain confidential.
Smibert and Casavecchia-Somers emphasized that serving on Council is a privilege and a responsibility – both challenging and rewarding.
Check with the Municipal Clerk to see if you are eligible to run for Council. You must be 18 years of age, Canadian, and a resident or non-resident elector. Nominations are due by August 21st at 2pm. Make an appointment with the Clerk to file your papers by emailing election@northernbruce.ca Election Day is October 26th, and voting can be done online or by telephone.
Visit northbrucepeninsula.ca/election for more information.
