– by Ted Daly –
Have you ever thought about doing some volunteer work in your community, but just haven’t quite figured out what you want to do? Have you ever questioned a decision of your local municipal council, and thought you would have done things differently?
This November, you will have an opportunity to contribute to your community: the municipal elections are scheduled for Saturday, November 15th. This is your chance to enter the political arena, and at the municipal level of governance, your voice will be heard and you can make a difference.
To run, pick up the required paperwork as of September 30th, 2014 at your municipal hall; this must be filed by 4 p.m. on October 10th, 2014 when the nomination period ends.
New provincial legislation is a certainty this fall, which will change the present term of office from three to four years.
I did say volunteer work; however, that is not quite true. There is a small monthly stipend for being an elected official, but I can assure you, you do not stand for election for the money! If you divide the stipend by the number of hours you put in as a Mayor or Councillor, you’ll realize you would be better off setting up a lemonade stand in your front yard … if your local bylaws would allow it!
Think about using your stipend to keep peace in the household.When I first ran it was agreed that my stipend would go towards the babysitters and housekeepers that would be needed when I was not at home to attend to my domestic duties.
In this and a follow-up article in the September issue, I hope to answer questions you may have about running in the upcoming municipal elections.
No previous political experience is necessary to run for your local council, and it is not necessary to spend a lot of money. With Facebook and Twitter, and by creating your own blog and website, you can get your message out to the electors at little or no cost.
Door-knocking, without doubt, is the #1 “must do.” You will need to have a snappy brochure or one-pager to hand deliver or leave at doors when no one is home. You will also need this handout to distribute at the two or three all-candidates meetings that will be held in your community.
Many home computer programs can produce some pretty sharp handouts, so your only expense is really just in the printing.
Next time: how to focus your campaign, and the workload you can expect if elected.
Please feel free to email me any questions at teddaly@shaw.ca.
