Approaching the zenith: Mayor Cliff Barwick to seek re-election in October municipal vote

Posted by Ian:

While he has yet to file his nomination papers, Mayor Cliff Barwick took the opportunity Monday night to wrap up his New Year’s address to council with a call to city voters to put their trust in him for one more term of office.

“As I approach the zenith of my political career,” said Barwick, “I earnestly believe my civic duty will be fulfilled and personally complete,to serve just one more term as head of council. To that end for just one more time I will be asking for the trust and confidence of the public.”

So, just four days into the new year, the mayoral race has its first entry, as a result putting the onus on challengers to declare their intentions sooner, rather than later.

The good ship St. Thomas doesn’t need two captains

Posted by Ian: Be it an ego the size of a Sterling truck or an all-pervasive paranoia, Mayor Cliff Barwick says this town ain’t big enough for his worship and a CAO. However watch for him to try and back-peddle by attempting to promote Wendell Graves to the position of city manager. Don’t be fooled … it’s not the same position, nor does it pack the same authority and stature. The mayor’s full year-end interview with Times-Journal reporter Eric Bunnell follows …

Cliff Barwick is a mayor with a secret.

With little more than 10 months remaining in his four-year term, Barwick says he decided two weeks ago whether to seek re-election on Oct. 25.

But the 65-year-old head of city council isn’t yet saying what that decision is.

Saint John, NB realtor, property owner aiming to collect 6,300 signatures in bid to force election

Posted by Ian:
Frustrated by the lack of responsibility to voters exhibited by any of our elected municipal representatives? Tired of broken campaign promises and poor fiscal judgment? Are personal agendas and ego the order of the day instead of good governance? You don’t have to wait until the next municipal election to dump the deadheads as exasperated voters in Saint John, New Brunswick flex their electoral muscles in a non-election year. And their frustration rings a familiar bell in St. Thomas.

SAINT JOHN – A real estate salesman and property owner has launched a petition to remove Mayor Ivan Court from office.

Real estate businessman Gerry Webster holds a petition he is circulating in a bid to remove Mayor Ivan Court from office. He wants to present the petition to the common clerk by July 17.

“He’s the mayor, that’s where the buck stops,” Gerry Webster said. “He’s had a year and he’s not listened to the public.”

Webster, who has already expressed his frustration with the mayor and common council, wants to present the petition to the common clerk by July 15.

The petition says, in part, “We the undersigned petition the common clerk of the City of Saint John to recall the below listed mayor” and that “an election be held as soon as possible.”

The reason for the petition to recall the mayor, the document states, is “the failure to address the serious financial situation of the city and the proposed further expenditures on capital projects.”

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Humility is a more endearing quality than unabashed ego

By George Cuff
Regardless of the size of the community, the role of mayor or councillor is important. It adds to the community’s sense of well-being and its degree of pride. It is not to be mistaken for the importance one should have as a member of their family, nor should it replace the recognition that humility is a more endearing quality than unabashed ego. We all leave elected life eventually – often more quietly than when we entered. The question that should be asked is this: What difference did we make?
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Local politicians get access to ‘do not call’ list

Thanks to Susan at Municipal World for the head’s up on this …

You may be hearing from an uninvited guest when you sit down to dinner during the next civic election.

A ruling by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission means municipal election candidates don’t have to obey the national “do not call” list, giving them access to phone numbers people had sought to seal off from nuisance callers.

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Journalists can be a council watchdog

Media jobs are evaporating like water puddles on a hot tin roof, but journalists don’t garner much sympathy. Reporters, auto workers, Bay Street traders — the economic carnage is everywhere so complaints about cutbacks at newspapers and broadcast outlets are generally dismissed as self-indulgent whining.
Then somebody like York University professor Robert MacDermid comes along with a powerful reminder of why dwindling media scrutiny matters. MacDermid, an expert in political campaign financing, recently released his latest analysis of corporate contributions to municipal election campaigns in the Greater Toronto Area. Once again, his research suggests the development industry — most obviously in the suburbs — picks its candidates, co-ordinates financial support for the chosen and usually ends up with friendly faces on council.
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Bill Sandison address to St. Thomas council, Jan. 19-09

I appreciated what little time I was given this evening to share the findings from the 2008 Ontario Municipality Comparison. Unfortunately I was only able to get halfway though my deputation, so I have attached the full transcript below for your information. I sensed that the results were unwelcomed by the chair and it may be worthwhile for you to watch the December broadcast of Politically Speaking regarding the $80,000 as I did not invent that number.It is not my credibility that is in question.

I was not advised how much time I had to make the deputation, but sense it was less than 10 minutes. I was not aware there was such little interest in the facts, but sometimes the truth is just too difficult to face.

If you have any questions, please give me a call at 519-207-0819.

Bill Sandison

2008 Ontario Municipality Comparison Study
Population Range 30,000 to 45,000

I would like to thank council for allowing me to make a deputation this evening on the results of a study conducted through December and January in conjunction with Ontario Municipalities within a population range of 30,000 to 45,000 people.
I would also like to thank those in attendance and those watching at home for sharing their time this evening to listen to my deputation.

Landmines of being a mayor

George Cuff

I have previously offered some thoughts as to what responsibilities and obligations accompany the role of the mayor. Hopefully, some of those musings resonated with those holding this important position (or at least those who actually read the materials!) and will be of some benefit to their councils and communities. Unfortunately, there are other instances where the role of mayor has become diluted by a misapprehension of the role.

Achieving role clarity by elected officials is often a struggle. This is due in part to the misconceptions of those accepting political office, and in part to the lack of concrete direction and/or advice pertaining to how such roles are expected to be performed.

This month’s column, then, is not focussed so much on what a mayor is expected to do, but rather a description of the pitfalls that many council leaders so readily experience. The following list is not intended to be exclusive nor all encompassing – experience teaches that new pitfalls are being added regularly!
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