9 Months to Civic Elections

9 months from today (Feb 15th to Nov 15th) - voters in the Cariboo-Chilcotin will be voting for local elected officials for the upcoming 2014-2017 term as follows:

Wells - 1 Mayor and 4 Councillors

100 Mile House - 1 Mayor and 4 Councillors

Williams Lake - 1 Mayor and 6 Councillors

Quesnel - 1 Mayor and 6 Councillors
Cariboo Regional District - 12 Electoral Area Directors (Areas A-L)

School District #27 (Cariboo-Chilcotin) -- 7 School Trustees

School District #28 (Quesnel) - 7 School Trustees

In addition to the above - those in the City of Williams Lake and parts of Cariboo RD Areas D, E, F will be voting in a referendum this November on a request from the Cariboo Regional District to authorize long term (20 years) borrowing up to $10 million dollars for renovations to the Sam Ketcham Pool/Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex

While Williams Lake City Councillor Danica Hughes and Cariboo Regional District Area D Director Deb Bischoff have officially announced their intentions to not seek re-election this November 15th, many of their colleagues in the Cariboo-Chilcotin will be giving serious thought to if they will seek re-election.  In addition, many people in our local communities, I'm sure, will be giving thought as to if they wish to run for local office (School Trustee, Mayor, Councillor or Electoral Area Director) this November with an understanding that a decision does not need to be made for many months yet but I suspect many, but not all, will have their minds made up by late August 2014

As I have already publicly committed on this blog/website - I have made a decision in regards to this November's civic election and will officially announce that decision no later than June 1st, 2014.  I did have a couple of people in the last few days encourage me to run for Mayor of Williams Lake, although I did tell them that I have no plans or desire to become Mayor of Williams Lake, either now or for the foreseeable future…

Yesterday, there was a story in the Grand Forks Gazette (A Black Press newspaper) floating the possibility of 4 year terms for local elected officials as part of reforms to local government legislation in the 2014 Spring Session of the BC Legislature.  UBCM (Union of BC Municipalities) members' have voted already to request that Victoria implement legislation for 4 year terms for local elected officials (Mayors, Councillors' and Regional District Electoral Area Directors)

For myself, I wouldn't have a problem with a 4 year elected term but that may be a 'deal-breaker' for either incumbents or those seeking local office and I have heard concerns about 4 year terms especially if a Municipal Council, School Trustee or Electoral Area Director was unpopular with decisions made by that Municipal Council, School Trustee or Electoral Area Director

In the meantime - those who are thinking about seeking local office, I would encourage you to attend a local government (School District, Municipal Council or Regional District Board) meeting and see if that is what you want to get involved in, then mull it over with your family & friends and don't feel rushed into making a decision as you still have months to do so…

If you have any questions - contact your local Municipal Hall, Cariboo Regional District office or School District office and ask for the official dealing with November's civic election.  Knowing many of the officials that will be handling this November's civic elections like I do - I am certain that they can/will answer any and all of your questions…

~SF