Recent town hall meetings drew crowds to discuss proposed changes to Clearview Township’s electoral system.
During the past week, the Electoral Review Committee hosted four meetings in Nottawa, Brentwood, Creemore and Stayner.
More than 200 people came to the meetings to learn more about the options for changes, share their thoughts about them and ask questions.
At the meetings, consultant Dr. Robert J. Williams of Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. outlined the possible changes to the wards. He also discussed the reasons for the electoral review and analyzed the current system.
“We heard really interesting, constructive comments from the public,” said Brent Preston, Councillor for Ward 3.
“Very few people said, ‘let’s reduce the size of Council to save money.’ People accept that we need to spend money to maintain a healthy and robust system of local government.”
More than 60 people attended the meeting in Stayner. Another 72 came out to Nottawa, and about 75 more attended the meetings in Brentwood and Creemore.
Preston credited the people of Clearview’s engagement in community and local government for the strong numbers.
He also said that Council’s efforts to promote the town hall meetings through advertisements, posters and mailed post cards paid off.
“I was really happy with the turnout,” said Preston, who chairs the Electoral Review Committee.
“The consultants have done a few of these and they said they have never seen so many people attend. They told us that the meeting in Stayner had more people than two town halls in Barrie (when they were doing their own electoral review) combined.”
If you have any comments about the proposed changes or the electoral process, send your thoughts in writing to the Clerk or Deputy Clerk by mail, email or in-person. You can also call your elected representative or have your say at the Public Meeting on Monday, October 7.
Council will discuss the consultant’s report and make a final decision about which option to take on October 21.