August 24, 2011
Town to hold
by-election
by Vance Gutzman
Deep River voters will be going to the polls this fall for a provincial
election and a municipal one as well.
That's because town council has opted to hold a by-election to fill the
vacancy that was created when Chris Carroll resigned his seat to take
the position as the town's new treasurer in September.
Discussion as to how to replace Carroll was held at last week's regular
council meeting, following a meeting of council's striking committee
two days previously.
The striking committee had two options on the table - appoint a person
to fill the vacant seat or conduct a by-election.
"We felt that it's very early in the term," Deputy Mayor Mary
MacCafferty told full council.
"It would be difficult to appoint, so the best thing to do is hold a
by-election.”
MacCafferty sits on the striking committee with Mayor David Thompson
and Councillor Daniel Banks.
The striking committee's recommendation was met with approval by the
rest of council, albeit with some reservations from Councillor Terry
Myers.
"The other way of looking at it is there was an election just last
year," Myers said, adding that a straw poll he took of a dozen people
determined they were all fine with appointing a replacement for Carroll.
"But a by-election is a little more democratic."
Councillor Ron Desrochers, meanwhile, said he had only heard about
Carroll's resignation from council a few short days before last week's
council meeting.
"I wasn't expecting to make a decision tonight," he said.
"It would be nice if we could defer this until September."
Council ended up, however, passing a resolution last week calling for
by-election to be held, and that resolution is expected to be passed
under auspices of a formal bylaw at the next council meeting on
September 7.
Nominations for candidates will be accepted by the town once the bylaw
is passed, and voters will likely head to the polls at the end of
October.
The total cost of last fall's municipal election was $4,280, and the
estimated cost of holding a by-election to fill Carroll's seat is
$3,000.
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