Family of late Bradford councillor pushes for byelection

It's been just over a month since the death of Bradford West Gwillimbury councillor Gary Baynes and the question remains: Who will take his place, if anyone?

Tonight, town council will vote on how to fill the vacancy. They could appoint the other candidate in Ward 2 from the 2018 municipal election. This would be Brian Carruthers, who ran against Baynes, and received 370 of the 1,070 votes that were cast. 

Council could also appoint any other candidate from the 2018 election. Of the 14 candidates who ran, 11 of them qualify for appointment. Council has the ability to appoint one of them by way of resolution. 

There are other options that were presented by town staff. 

Council could make a motion to appoint an eligible and interested individual of their choosing without an application process or referencing recent election results.

Council can also choose to begin a selection process mimicking a byelection where eligible and interested members of the community would be invited to submit an application to fill the vacancy.

A byelection is another option, which would take place Dec. 7.

Ashley Baynes, one of the late councillor's daughters, recently sent an email to council endorsing a byelection. 

"As a family, we understand that this position needs to be filled. Given the fact that it is half the term, we believe that a byelection would be best for the constituents and what my dad would call 'the right thing to do,'" she wrote in the email. 

While she and the rest of the family acknowledge byelections can be costly and lengthy, they believe it is what their father would have wanted. 

"Dad would want his constituents to have an opportunity to elect someone new, someone of their choosing," she said. "He would also say that, while it may be more difficult than appointing someone, it provides the people an opportunity to express their desires and, in some way, take ownership over the decision." 

When former councillor Ron Simpson died in 2014, his daughter was appointed to fill the role with only six months left in the term. 

With half the term left, the Baynes family believes appointing someone would not be fair. 

Ashley Baynes says people should have a voice.

"Dad was very sensitive about public perception," she said. "He would worry that, on the coattails of increased taxes, appointing a councillor the people did not choose could lead to more feelings of distention between the people and the town.

"My dad would want somebody that cared about Bradford as a community. He would want somebody that grew up there and took time and consideration for all the constituents, someone like him who would sweat the small stuff," Baynes added.