BarrieToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is from Springwater Township resident Alissa Shanahan about the upcoming municipal election.
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If you've followed municipal politics for a hot minute in Springwater, you would know the current council is strongly divided into two camps.
That's what makes this fall being election season a chance to start over. A fresh start.
Or is it?
A drive around Springwater will show you that the sign wars have been going strong for several weeks now.
But upon closer inspection, there are some disturbing trends.
People running in this election have their own sign on their property (naturally), but also have signs of who 'they' wish to be their councillor/deputy mayor/mayor. I see this as highly problematic. For a candidate running as ward councillor to publicly announce via signage "I want Person 'A' to be my mayor," what happens if Person 'B' wins?
Right away, before the first council meeting ever takes place, alliances are already formed. How is that working relationship going to be? Is this going to be a continuation of the previous council, so widely divided? What work can be done when there are two opposing sides, and sides so openly against each other?
Wait, why are there even sides? Aren't they all working for the common good of the municipality?
It recently came to my attention that a ward councillor is actively campaigning with a deputy-mayor candidate — together. What if one gets in and the other doesn't? How is the working relationship going to be with the candidate who does get voted in?
The candidates who should be elected are the candidates who should be able to rise above whatever nonsense has happened behind the scenes, and work with the rest of council in a transparent and professional capacity.
And so I make my request to the Township of Springwater to pass a motion for future elections that states candidates (running or acclaimed) may only have their own signage on their property. Let's stop drawing lines in the sand and work together as adults.
Alissa Shanahan
Springwater Township
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