To the Editor,
Are people already considering running in the civic election for a seat on council next year? If so, they should be putting themselves on council right now, metaphorically speaking.
How so? By spending the next year researching and reading collective agreements between the City of Port Alberni and its unionized employees; reading and learning about leases and Agreements between the City and various entities such as, but not limited to the SPCA, A.V. Bulldogs, McLean Mill Society, Fortis, and the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce; learning about various employer regulations and associated additional payroll expenses that the city must adhere to; learning about regulations governing the city for the supply of our drinking water, and the handling of our storm and waste water; studying the parts of the Community Charter and Local Government Act that most impact the decision making process of local governments; reading local bylaws, including council’s procedures bylaw; learning which large projects started under this or previous council administrations that are likely to still be underway during the term of the next administration.
They should also be learning the basics of reading balance sheets and income statements; learning about reserve accounts and the rules for removing money from specific reserve accounts; and being prepared to do some math to assist in understanding and interpreting the five-year financial plan and budgeting process.
And there’s more.
It’s a big job that begins immediately after the campaign platitudes no longer have influence and when those platitudes run up against the reality of the decision making process, and of governing.
The reason why anyone considering running for local public office next year should be preparing now, is so that the “training wheels” won’t have to be on for the first full year of their term.
Potential candidates can facilitate that process by putting in the effort over the next year getting prepared.
Roland Smith,
Port Alberni