The Councillor Questionnaire is up and running!
This short questionnaire is designed to take the pulse of the community on whether the City of Guelph is ready to graduate to full time City Councillors.Should we have 12 part time… or 6 full time councillors? or something else all together? – speak your mind on the issue.
Thanks to Cam Guthrie, a resident of Ward 4 and past candidate for city council for noticing that the link had not been activated. Your support is always appreciated!
July 31st, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Geez, I thought eating your young was something that only the “right” did!
July 31st, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Hello Mike,
I would argue that we should some number of full time councillors, 6-8 sounds about right. The key reasons are as follows:
- A full time councillor can dedicate their full attention to the duties of the city. There would no longer be a conflict of interest between earning money to support your livelyhood VS your duties to the city.
- Too many cooks spoil the broth. I think the current list of 12 councillors plus a mayor is too many. 12 Councillors, 12 opinions, 12 separate agendas. Opinions and ideas are good, but there is such a thing as too many opinions. A smaller, more dedicated group can make decisions quicker.
- Lack of popular vote. Most councillors are elected with about a %30 turnout. Votes get split 3, 4 or 5 ways. With such a low percent of the vote, and such wide vote splitting, I think it makes it difficult for a councillor to gauge his/her level of support, thus making it harder to show real leadership. I’d like to see a preferred ballot system, where we rank out first and second choices, if there is no clear winner above %50 plus 1, the last place candidates second place votes are distributed amoung the other candicates, this continues until a true majority winner is found.
I think this would be more democratic and would give candidates a better mandate.
Thanks Mike
August 1st, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Reply to Joseph F.
I’m not certain about the whole leftwing / rightwing thing; I generally see things as shades of grey.
Either way, you’re correct… moving to full time representation at City Hall would likely result in fewer councillors around the horseshoe and that means some of my colleagues may find themselves looking for a new job down the road.
In fact, given that MY ward partner has been successfully re-elected more than any other current City councillor, the likelihood that Mike Salisbury may be one of those walking away empty-handed has, no doubt, occurred to me.
I am both incredibly grateful and excited to be involved in such meaningful and important work; I can’t believe how much I enjoy being a City Councillor. The irony that pursuing this issue could cost me my seat is not lost on me.
However I don’t think I have much of a choice really. I am committed to doing what is best for the City and I personally believe that part time councillors short change the City of Guelph… that our city deserves better.
October 17th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
You’re right, the whole right/left thing is completely irrelevant.
Today, the real divide is between the haves and the have nots. Folks, if you’re reading this, you are probably a have not.
Just to stay on topic, it’s very brave of you Mike, to actively support reforming our municipal representation when it appears that you would end up on the short end of the stick.
I think that the citizens of Guelph are getting a great deal. 12 full time councillors for the price of 4. Can’t get deals like that at Wal-Mart!