{"id":11708,"date":"2021-03-25T16:27:19","date_gmt":"2021-03-25T19:27:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chmafm.com\/welcome\/?p=11708"},"modified":"2021-04-19T12:27:50","modified_gmt":"2021-04-19T15:27:50","slug":"do-the-research-and-dont-take-it-personally-councillors-share-advice-on-public-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chmafm.com\/welcome\/do-the-research-and-dont-take-it-personally-councillors-share-advice-on-public-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Do the research and don’t take it personally: councillors share advice on public life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Open house on civic life, Tuesday, March 23, 2021. (Clockwise from top left) Councillor Allison Butcher, Councillor Shawn Mesheau, Councillor Bill Evans, Sackville CAO Jamie Burke, Treasurer Michael Beal, Councillor Mike Tower, Councillor Andrew Black, Deputy Mayor Ron Aiken, and (centre) organizer Sabine Dietz. Screencap: Erica Butler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Be prepared to do lots of reading and research, be prepared for things to not always go your way, and be prepared to have a thick skin. That\u2019s some of the advice that councillors had on Tuesday night in an open house talking about civic life, meant to inform people who are considering running for municipal office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local political organizer Sabine Dietz put together the event which was attended by most of council, many staff, and a handful of citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hear this story as reported on Tantramar Report:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can watch the full proceedings online<\/a>, or check out CHMA Talks<\/a> to hear more of what councillors had to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dietz asked councillors to talk about what inspired them to run for council, and why others might consider doing the same. Councillor Allison Butcher cast a wide net for those would might want to consider throwing their hat in the ring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf people are satisfied with things as I was,\u201d said Butcher, \u201cthen why not be a part of continuing to make it a good place to live? And if people are dissatisfied with how things are going, then what better way to effect change than to be a part of the council at the municipal level?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many councillors highlighted the need for diversity of opinions, not just to get a better quality of decision, but also to give voters choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really important for people to run for council so that people voting have choices,\u201d said Councillor Bill Evans. \u201cIf only eight people offer then then the citizens don’t have a choice in picking the kind of council they want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Andrew Black and Allison Butcher described their decision process in running for council, and each noted that others had asked and encouraged them to run. Both also acknowledged that being already well-known in the community likely helped them at the polls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The consensus also seemed to be that the job required a lot of work, particularly in terms of research, reading, and meetings, but that it was manageable. Several councillors had full time jobs and young families during their tenure, and they noted that town staff made efforts to accommodate schedules and make it work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councillor Mike Tower added that in addition to the workload, any new councillor must also be prepared for not always getting their way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhoever’s gonna run for council should be prepared to put the hours in, to do the research, so that you can make your arguments and try to persuade members of the team,\u201d said Tower. But after that, councillors also have to be ready to accept the group\u2019s decision, regardless of whether you are personally in favour. \u201cIf council says no to a motion, or says yes to a motion which you’re against, it\u2019s over and it\u2019s done. Move on. That motion was by council, and you have to accept that. It’s the proper thing,\u201d said Tower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bill Evans echoed that sentiment when he described the work of council as a team sport:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to come in and recognize that if you get elected, you have a right to be here, and so does everybody else,\u201d said Evans. \u201cYou have to work with those people. Not your friends, not with people who agree with you. You have to work with this group of people who collectively represent the people in town.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think if you go in with reasonable expectations, that it’s going to be challenging, and you have a serious job to do, then you’re going to be just fine,\u201d said Evans. \u201cThe town will be just fine with a bunch of people like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councillors also shared some thoughts on the public scrutiny they face as elected politicians. Allison Butcher said she was surprised by a certain attitude when we was first elected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe thing that shocked me most at the beginning was the people who were like, \u2018Oh, yeah, council, they don’t care about the town,\u2019\u201d said Butcher. \u201cAnd I always thought, what a bizarre concept, that people would think you would run for council of a community because you don’t care about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know that people often get upset about things when they feel they lack control,\u201d said Butcher, \u201cor it’s easier to get annoyed about something than to actually do something about it. But council is a way to make things better, to be a part of a solution. And that’s why it’s important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bill Evans also said that while, \u201cworking together to affect positive change is wonderfully rewarding,\u201d there are down sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople will say, you know, unpleasant things,\u201d said Evans. \u201cThey’ll accuse you of being dishonest or incompetent, and you don’t believe that you’re either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think more people would run if fewer people treated elected officials that way,\u201d said Evans, \u201cbut that’s the reality of it. So if you’re going to run for office, you will become a public figure and expose yourself to that sort of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though many councillors noted the negative aspect of public feedback, they also talked about the positive feedback that can come from members of the public when they feel their concerns have been represented, and the satisfaction from feeling that you\u2019ve helped make an improvement to life in Sackville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSometimes when you get behind something, and you see it succeed, then you see the result of it,\u201d said Mike Tower, \u201cthat\u2019s a pretty darn good feeling inside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tune in to CHMA Talks <\/a>Thursday at 6pm to hear more of what councillors had to say, or watch the full proceedings<\/a> online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone interested in running for town council has until April 9, 2021 at 2pm to submit their paperwork to Elections NB<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More reading:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nominations for town council, school district and health authority boards open tomorrow<\/a><\/blockquote>