MAPLETON – Mapleton will have a new councillor in seven weeks.
Finalizing and approving the appointment process at a council meeting Tuesday evening, Mapleton council previously approved appointing a new councillor by a call for applications after former councillor Martin Tamlyn resigned from his position in September and accepted a job as Climate Change Coordinator in Centre Wellington.
Staff said appointment by nomination is the least expensive and most time-effective method of filling a council vacancy for both the municipality and candidates.
A report on the process said anyone wanting to throw their hat in the ring wishing must provide a valid government-issued I.D and complete and sign two Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Nomination Papers, one of which requires five endorsements by qualified Mapleton electors. They also must sign a personal release consent form.
All three forms must be completed and submitted to the clerk in person before 5 pm on Oct. 28.
Candidates must then submit a maximum two-page personal statement of qualification describing their background, career, education, achievements, aspirations, beliefs etc. for consideration by Nov. 4.
All information will be included in a council agenda on Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m. when the vacancy vote will take place.
During this meeting, all candidates will be given five minutes to address council, followed by one council each from councillors- candidates will be sequestered during this time.
In the event of a tie, clerk Larry Wheeler will pull names from a hat. This concerned councillor Michael Martin, who asked about potential alternatives.
"A tiebreak coming from a hat seems even less democratic because we can blame the hat potentially," said Martin. "I'd rather take on that responsibility and accountability to the folks from Mapleton in another form rather than drawing a name from a hat."
Wheeler said this method is the provincial precedent and he's unaware of a more appropriate solution- clarifying that council is five members to prevent situations like this.
Mayor Gregg Davidson said the only other alternative he can think of is for councillors to debate over the tied candidates at a council meeting.
"I completely understand where you're coming from," said Davidson. "I always thought the drawing out of the hat, the box whatever it was is a strange way of deciding."
The new councillor will be sworn in at a council meeting on Nov. 26.
All forms three are available by email or can be picked up at the clerk's office.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
