Nomination Day is slowly creeping up. Nomination Day for what you say? Well, for Municipal and School Board elections that's what!
I have not made anymore You Tube videos with tips for anyone considering becoming a Councillor. I think one is enough really. If you missed it here is the link:
That was a lot of fun and anyone who has heard it might draw some conclusions about "growing up to be a Councillor". I didn't do it to discourage, I did it to educate and I hope I did.
1. The term is now four years. Think about how old you will be when your term is up.
1. The term is now four years. Think about how old you will be when your term is up.
2. Your pay will be $500.00 a month and $650.00 if you "wannabe" the Mayor. Make sure you take off appropriate deductions for income tax. If you don't you will pay the tax man in April. I would advise just donating the whole shebang to the government every month, let them hang on to it and maybe you will get a refund. No kidding.
3. Be prepared to attend two Council meetings per month. Be prepared when you attend those meetings. Read your Council package for crying out loud. Don't show up at the damn meeting with a puzzled look on your face and ask what is on the agenda. If you do don't be surprised if you get your ass kicked by the rest of those who did come prepared and who have made themselves as knowledgeable as they could get with the information provided. Don't let your public down - you are there for them and you are also there as part of a team so don't let your team down. Council packages are ready by Thursday evening and are posted on the Civic Website. If you become a councillor you will get a password to get into this website to retrieve your package. That's right, it is yours, make it yours. Get to know it intimately. Use your Town supplied computer/tablet when you get to Council Chambers for the meeting. Please arrive a little bit earlier than the 7 p.m. start time in order to plug your computer in and make sure you are on the wireless network. It is not that hard, if you are reading this you know how to use a computer. Council passed a motion a while back that there would be no paper copies of the council package made for Councillors since we are trying to go green and be responsible when it comes to paper usage. We also felt that if we were given the computers for our use and given the use of a website to access the council package why would we need paper. If you want to make copies of things then go ahead and hit the print button and print off whatever you want on your own printer which you probably have. If you don't, then get one they aren't that expensive and your life will be easier from here on in. I use scrap paper to print things on. I think it is a waste if you don't use both sides.
4. Keep in mind that you are there as a team of seven people. You will be asked to nominate a leader - the Mayor - to chair the meetings and to be your Chief Executive Officer. The Mayor is like the captain of the team and while each team player should be respected and valued, so too should the Mayor. The Mayor is expected to show up for everything in town and give a speech once in a while. You will also choose a Deputy Mayor who will quite likely take over for the Mayor more than a few times during the term. Be happy with your choices and move on. Don't start dickering, bickering, whining and complaining about your choice a year or two into the term. Deal with it, get over it and get on with it. That's about the only advice I have on that one.
5. When you make a motion, have a good discussion if you need to have one, vote yay or nay and live with the decision. A motion of council is decided by all of council and whatever the decision is you must abide by it. Do not go around yipping to anyone who will listen later on about why you did not agree with something. No one cares anymore and it doesn't matter, the motion was made and council decided. If you are asked about a motion you can say it was a council decision. You get your chance before the decision is made, at a meeting, to voice your concerns. Please don't be the one who goes all over town yapping about who said this and who said that - let the press do that.
6. Speaking of the press: They have every right to be at a meeting and basically they will report on what goes on. You have no control over it so just act naturally. There may be times when you want to make a point and you will use the press for this. This may not always turn out to be your best decision since sometimes "the paper gets it wrong". Once again, live with what you have no control over or it will drive you crazy. It is not a good idea to write letters to the editor since that just makes the paper more popular and is that what you really want?
7. Be aware that you are now a public figure. People will get a hold of you on the phone, in person, etc. etc. and sometimes it isn't very pleasant. Mostly it is just to ask a question because they know you are on council and they trust what you have to say. Be careful with that since you do not and never will have all the answers.
8. Be prepared to sit on council committees, community committees and boards and regional boards. I would think if you were really doing a good job as a councilor you would be spending at the very least about 10 hours a week doing that job. You will be representing council and the community on these boards. My best advice is when asked a question about the town to say you will take it back to Council and get back to them on that.
9. Remember that the CAO is your only employee, the rest of the town staff are not. Do not attempt to guide the town employees with any of your wisdom since it is inappropriate to do so. The CAO is their employer and the CAO is responsible for them.
10. Do not throw your name in as a candidate if you have a personal agenda since that is not the right reason. Say you have never liked Mr. So and So down the street and you think if you get on council you will make it miserable for him since you are sure there are some bylaws that you could use to get back at him for this personal grudge match you have had going on for years and years. Stop right there. That is not a reason to run for council. Your only reason should be that you have some time to devote to your community. Use that time wisely and you will come away from it as a better person.
I think ten things to remember or consider are enough, maybe too much. It is not easy and like the song says:
"Councillors ain’t easy to love and they’re harder to hold
They’d rather give you a story that’s already told.
Five hour meetings, In Cameras, delegations, each meeting
begins a new day
If you don’t understand things and they don’t explain
They’ll just move on their own way."
Above all, don't take yourself too seriously.
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