Troubling silence

It’s early yet, and Fort Frances residents have a reputation of doing things “last minute,” but it is troubling to note that no one has yet tossed their hat into the ring to run for town council or either of the local school boards almost three months after nominations first opened.
Races already are taking shape in other communities across the region, and elsewhere in the province, as people begin weighing who they want at the helm for the next four years.
Hopefully voters here soon will get that chance, too.
Whether it’s striving to find doctors to practise here, keeping a lid on taxes and user fees so people, especially those on fixed incomes, can still afford to live in town, and figuring out how to pay to replace our crumbling infrastructure, the next council certainly will have to grapple with serious issues on several fronts. Yet as the Oct. 25 municipal election draws closer, there’s been nary a peep yet from those who soon will be seeking the support of the electorate to tackle these challenges.
That doesn’t bode well for the lively campaign we should be seeing as we head into an election at such a critical juncture in our town’s history. Scarier, still, is the thought that perhaps nobody wants the job.
Sitting on council is a tough job—and a huge commitment. For residents with young families, it’s difficult to balance needs at home with council business. And for those who aren’t business owners or retired, juggling workplace duties with town responsibilities is a monumental task.
The current council has tried to make serving more appealing to a broader cross-section of residents, including a pay hike for the next term, but whether that translates into more candidates remains to be seen.
Fort Frances has been fortunate to have had residents step forward over the years to serve our community so well. And while we may not always agree with their decisions, their efforts and sacrifices to make our town a better place to live deserve our gratitude.
Our community is calling again for those willing to serve. Let’s hope many are able to answer—and quickly.
Frankly, the sooner voters know who the candidates are, the more opportunity they have to question them on the issues as well as hear their solutions to the various challenges ahead.
Healthy debate, after all, is the cornerstone of a vibrant community.