Tim Rydall says if you’re planning on running for municipal office to fix an issue with your road, you might want to think again.
The Ministry of Municipal Affairs employee was one of two people walking residents of Lambton County considering a run for municipal council through the duties of what councillors do.
“If you’re interested in running because you have one issue on your street or road, and think… ‘We’ll get it fixed’ I guarantee you once you get it fixed…it is going to be a long 1,200 days. And it could be a long 1,200 nights because people will call you at night or if your in the grocery store with issues you may not be interested in.”
And he urged would-be candidates to remember they would not be able to act alone but “work as a group” with the rest of council.
The seminar also laid out the steps to file a papers to run. The nomination period opens May 1st and potential candidates who live in municipalities larger than 4,000 people will have to have 25 people sign their nomination papers.
The nomination period is shorter than in the past, closing on July 27 at 2pm.
Along with the nomination papers, candidates have to pay $100 to run – $200 if they’re running for the head of council.
And officials say once they have been declared candidates, they have to set up a separate bank account for their election expenses.