Duane Hicks
Coun. Ken Perry is running for mayor in the Oct. 22 municipal election here in Fort Frances.
“I want to continue things the way they’re going and I think I am the one to do it,” said Coun. Perry, who first was elected to council in a 2008 byelection before being acclaimed in 2010 and then re-elected in 2014.
“I think we’re going to have a whole new team coming on board,” he noted. “A couple of the people that are there now are still going to be there but basically we’re going to have a pretty fresh team.
“And I want to be leader.”
Coun. Perry, who filed his nomination with the town clerk last Wednesday afternoon, said he has spoken “at length” with current Mayor Roy Avis about him running and has his blessing.
“I told him I’ll need all kinds of his help when he’s not the mayor anymore,” he remarked.
As of press time today, Coun. Perry was only the second individual to file his nomination here–and the first to do so for mayor.
Coun. Wendy Brunetta, who submitted her nomination back on June 21, is running for re-election to council.
But nominations don’t close until 2 p.m. on July 27 and Coun. Perry said it’s anybody’s guess as to exactly who will be running for the six seats on council and the mayor’s chair by the time that deadline rolls around.
He noted that in the 2014 election, quite a few nominees stepped forward with only 10 days left in the nomination period.
While there’s ongoing challenges, such as the fate of the shuttered mill here, Coun. Perry feels the town is on the right track.
“We’ve got lots of stuff coming up, probably lots of good stuff we don’t even know about yet,” he remarked.
“I think we need to be the leaders in this district and I think with the right team-building and the right team built, we can be the lead and look out for the Town of Fort Frances and look out for the district, and hopefully keep us guided in the same direction we’ve been going financially,” he added.
Coun. Perry said the current council has put the town on “a good path” financially.
“We’re trying to get our debt down, we’re trying not to incur more debt,” he stressed. “And we’re spending our money prudently and wisely.
“As we see more grant money coming from the government, we put our matching dollars in there and get some things accomplished.”
A stalwart champion of revamping the province’s railway right-of-way property taxation, Coun. Perry said he would like to see the town get “further along” with the issue and keep pushing to see that it’s paid a much more fair share of taxes for having a railway running through the municipality.
“We can maybe get some new tax dollars instead of taxing the same people over and over again,” he noted.
For up-to-date information on the municipal election, visit www.fortfrances.ca/town/mayor-council/elections
Those interested in running in this municipal election must get supporting signatures from 25 eligible voters before filing their nominations.
This is for municipalities with more than 4,000 electors, such as Fort Frances.
Candidates can begin campaigning as soon as they file their nomination papers.
This requirement does not apply to candidates running for school board trustee or the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB).
The signatures must be in writing from individuals who are Canadian citizens aged 18 or older and live in the same municipality the candidate is running in (e.g., Fort Frances).
Candidates also must meet the following requirements:
•they must be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or older;
•a resident of the municipality they are running in (such as Fort Frances), or an owner or tenant of land in the Town of Fort Frances, or the spouse of the owner or tenant (this does not apply to corporations);
•not legally prohibited from voting; and
•not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.
Nominees must pay a $200 fee to run for mayor and $100 for any other position. This money will be refunded to the candidates after the election, regardless of their success.
This is considered a personal expense, not a campaign one.
There also are changes to third-party advertising in municipal elections.
These parties include corporations, partnerships, unincorporated businesses and associations, and other groups that pay to have a message in any medium (i.e., newspaper, radio, billboard, etc.) that supports or opposes a candidate or a question on the ballot.
Third parties must register with the municipality where they want to advertise.
This registration began on the first day for filing nominations (May 1) and ends on the Friday before voting day (Oct. 19).
There is no registration fee.
As previously reported, the town will be using telephone/internet voting for this municipal election.
More information will be provided about voting once nominations close.
The new term of council will begin Dec. 1, 2018 and conclude Nov. 22, 2022.
