Ward system is failing Clearview citizens

 In Letters, Opinion

Editor:
The letter of Mr. Witzke identifying his concerns over “acclaimed” councillors was a wake-up call against the abysmal ward-based representation system currently used in Clearview. It is this ward system that is failing the citizens of Clearview by allowing an ever-increasing number of non/never elected councillors to be making the decisions for our community.
Most Ontario municipalities function well with five elected members. If Clearview was using the at-large based voting system to select five representatives there would have been sufficient candidates at the last election to select, by majority vote, a full slate of councillors drawn from across the community without having any “acclaimed” representatives. The ward system disallows a choice of the best representatives drawn from across Clearview by requiring that candidates live in specific ward.
With the upcoming acclamation of the “runner up” in Ward 1, Clearview taxpayers will only be represented by five elected representatives. If anyone else resigns or passes away then the majority of our council will not have been voted into place by a majority vote, a process which is a cornerstone of our elective process in Ontario.
The semantic argument supported by archaic religious doctrine promoted by a relative of the councillor who has never been voted into her position on council is an indication of why Mr. Witzke’s simple statement should be of concern to those of us paying taxes that are being increasingly used for purposes that do not benefit or improve the living conditions of the taxpayers of Clearview.
If this council had any interest in ensuring that the taxpayers of Clearview were receiving value for their money, they would immediately change the voting system from ward to at-large along with a commensurate reduction in the number of elected councillors from 9 to 5.
With a total of 11,903 registered voters in the 2018 election it will take the signatures of just 120 of those registered voters to bring the ward versus at-large concern back to council.
If you are interested in joining the effort please send an email to voterchange@clearviewtownship.com and we’ll contact you for your signature. Then we’ll see just how this council feels about giving taxpayers a fully elected council.
Peter Lomath,
Creemore.

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