Applications are now open for the next councillor of the Town of Fort Frances.
At last night’s meeting of town council, it was officially decided that the process to appoint a councillor to fill the seat vacated by Mandi Olson would begin today, and be concluded with a Special Council Meeting on December 17, 2024, to appoint the new councillor.
According to documents prepared by Gabrielle Lecuyer, the town’s municipal clerk, the application process will close at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, and anyone interested in submitting an application must do so by appointment with the Clerk’s Office. Applications forms, along with other information regarding the process, will be available at the Clerk’s Office, or on the town’s website at www.fortfrances.ca.
Applicants must be a qualified municipal elector as set out in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, and must also be a resident, owner or tenant of land in the town, or spouse of someone who is, a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old, and not be prohibited from voting under Section 17(3) of the act, or otherwise disqualified by law.
According to the administrative report, applicants will be required to submit a personal statement with their application, and each candidate will be given five minutes to speak at the Special Council Meeting in December to present their statement, which the report said should “articulate their motivations for seeking the position, relevant experience, and vision for the role of Councillor.” The personal statement should be typewritten in a 12-point font on letter size (8.5 by 11 inches), include the candidate’s name and address and should not exceed one page in length.
Each candidate will also be asked a set of “predetermined questions” at the Special Meeting, with two minutes given for the candidates response.
In the event only one application is submitted to the town before the deadline, that individual will be sworn in to council at the Special Council Meeting, but in the event that multiple people are in the running, then council itself will begin a voting process following the conclusion of the presentations.
“If there are multiple candidates, rounds of voting will be conducted to determine the successful candidate,” the report read.
“During each round, members of Council will cast their votes, and the candidate receiving a simple majority of the votes (four members) will be declared elected. If no candidate achieves the required majority in a round, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated from subsequent rounds. This elimination process will continue until one candidate receives the necessary majority. In the event of a tie between candidates, the tie will be resolved by a lot draw, as outlined in section of the procedure.”
“Upon the conclusion of the voting process, if a candidate receives the majority of votes (more than half of the Members of Council present), the Town Clerk will declare that candidate elected,” the report continued.
“A resolution or by-law will be prepared and submitted for enactment on the same night of the appointment. Additionally, the successful applicant will take the Oath of Office immediately following their appointment, ensuring a seamless transition into their role on the Council.”
While December’s meeting is intended to end with council restored to its full complement, in the event that no submissions are received by the closing date, the Clerk may extend the application period, and will notify the public of such. If no applicants have come forward by the end of the extension period, then council may consider a direct appointment of an individual who is eligible and consenting.
“If no candidates are appointed after the direct appointment process, the council will assess whether a by-election is required and may consult with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the requirements,” the Clerk’s Procedure for “appointing eligible elector to fill a council vacancy” reads.
Lecuyer noted at last night’s meeting that she has also taken the opportunity to write up a package for applicants that will come with the necessary forms, that she said will hopefully prepare potential councillors with an overview of what the role entails, what will be required of them, and what challenges they may face in the remainder of the term.
“I have provided within the package as well, an application documentation for any potential applicants, giving them a little bit of information about what they’d be getting themselves into in terms of meeting commitments and agendas and that kind of thing,” Lecuyer said.
“An official list [of applicants] will be continuously published as applicants come forward that will be available on the website. We have a page ready. I can confirm with Chelsea [Greig, deputy clerk] here for keeping the public, public and the media in the know of who’s putting in their applications as they come in, similar to any nomination.”
