With the provincial government proposing changes to certain rules for municipal elections, including having voters go to the polls next fall on Oct. 25 instead of Nov. 8, some members of Fort Frances town council already have been thinking about whether they’ll run or not.
Coun. John Albanese said that as of right now, he’s “100 percent” sure he will run for a seat on council.

“I want to keep on going to make sure the Town of Fort Frances has a watchdog, as I always do, and I’d like to continue lobbying government for funding for our community to get a second industry,” he remarked.
“We know having a second industry has always been a dream, but I’d love to see us getting even a small second industry,” added Coun. Albanese, noting that a call centre, perhaps a medical one like the one in International Falls, could provide jobs for 300-400 people.
“That’s a good question,” said Coun. Andrew Hallikas. “I have been thinking about it. That’s where I am right now—trying to give it some serious thought.
“I couldn’t tell you any more than that.”
Coun. Hallikas is among several councillors who will be wrapping up their first terms come next October. He cited the fact that being a councillor is a serious time commitment—and deciding to run in an election to serve for another four years is not a decision to take lightly.
“My first year was the steepest learning curve I have ever encountered, and I have been on a lot of committees in my time,” he remarked.
“At least this time, if I decide to go, I will be going in with my eyes wide open.”
“I have enjoyed the last year-and-a-half immensely,” said Coun. Ken Perry.
“I will run again unless something drastic happens to change my mind, but I can’t see that happening,” he added.
“I think I have a lot of input on all the committees I have been on, and I hope to have a pile more in the next year or so, and carry on from there if the public so wishes me to carry on.
“There’s something I am working on I want to see happen again, and continue to happen.”
When asked if he’s considered running for the position of councillor or mayor in 2010, Coun. Perry replied, “If Mayor Avis is to re-run for mayor, he won’t get any opposition from me.
“I will back him wholeheartedly.”
Coun. Paul Ryan, meanwhile, said he hasn’t given it too much thought at this point.
“It’s still a little too early for me at this point,” he noted. “There’s a few things I would like to get done, and if we get them done, I may not. It depends.
“We’ll see the lay of the land at that time.”
Coun. Sharon Tibbs, who prior to her current term served on council for 12 years (1991-2003) and by 2010 will have served a total of 16 years, said she definitely will be running for a seat on council in the next municipal election.
Prior to the 2006-10 term of council, terms had been limited to three years. When asked whether another four-year term was daunting, Coun. Tibbs replied she thinks the longer terms are a good idea.
“It gives you a chance to have a better opportunity to come up to full speed with the issues,” she explained. “Three years is quite short, actually, and then you turn around and start all over again.”
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft, who would be completing his second-consecutive term as councillor next fall, said he hasn’t given it a lot of thought at this point.
But when he does, he may have one more term left in him.
“I think I will wait and make up my mind as we get closer to the time,” he said. “I will see what’s happening in my life, and with my family, stuff like that, because it is a fairly substantial time commitment.
“I probably won’t say for sure yet, but I am leaning towards running for one more term.
“This will be term number three and I think municipal councillors should rotate every once in a while,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft added. “Get fresh blood in there, fresh ideas, fresh direction.
“But I think I still have some work left to do,” he stressed. “I would like to see this trail system throughout town.
“I still have some things I would like to see get done, but as I said, I think fresh blood is good every once in a while.
“If I do run, I think it will be my last run as a municipal councillor,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft added.
Like others, Coun. Wiedenhoeft agreed four-year terms are not a bad idea.
“To me, I think it’s a good thing. The first year, especially if you’re a new municipal councillor, there’s a tremendous learning curve.
“I am still learning things.
“But when you’re in for just three years, once you learn things, you’ve only got a year-and-a-half or so left to serve,” he added. “I think four years is probably a good thing. I have no problem with four years.”
“I haven’t given it much thought,” echoed Mayor Roy Avis. “I know you can put your nominations in in early January, but I probably wouldn’t declare anything until the spring.”
But the mayor added the current term has been a very productive one, and he wouldn’t mind seeing the same lineup put their names in to run for another four years.
“I’ll tell you what—I’d like it to stay together again, that council. We’ve had a good four years,” he remarked.
“This is the first four-year term. It’s a little long, four years is a long commitment . . . but I find that with the council I have had, the three years so far has gone by very fast, and that we’ve had a very good council.
“I think Fort Frances can be pleased we’ve got a good working council,” added Mayor Avis.
Meanwhile, the change to the voting day was included a bill introduced in the Ontario legislature last Monday, and already has gone into a second reading this week.
“That [the date change] will very much affect the next election here,” said clerk Glenn Treftlin. “It will affect the timing of some of the events.
“Nomination day will move forward an additional two weeks, from Sept. 24 to Sept. 10,” he noted.
“Then, of course, the campaign period is shortened.”
Other proposed changes include:
•allowing the Municipal Property Assessment Corp. and municipalities to access additional information to improve the accuracy of voters’ lists;
•sitting councillors no longer would be able to carry over campaign surpluses from one election to another (under the new rules, any surpluses would be handed over to the city clerk);
•capping contributions in each municipality at $5,000 per individual, company, or union, in addition to the existing limit of $750 per candidate from a contributor; and
•requiring voting places to be accessible to those with disabilities.
Treftlin noted the proposed changes, if they go through, will have to be reviewed further by municipalities.
But regardless of what happens, he already has been thinking about the 2010 election, and before the end of the year hopes to iron out certain details, such as asking council whether or not they want to go with mail-in ballots again this time.