date posted: 2006-06-01
From time to time friends and constituents will ask me if my job as Ward 2 Councillor is a full time occupation. While I can’t speak for other Members of Council, I can say without hesitation that to complete the full range of responsibilities as a Councillor takes up more than a normal work week.
To be an effective Councillor, I believe one must be available to his constituents, to meet with them and if necessary at their homes – that means being available not only during the day but at night and on weekends. Council meets every Monday and those meetings take place in the late afternoon and evening to ensure that members of the public can attend. Similarly, Council Public Hearings on planning matters or special projects also take place in the evening.
On all matters of significant local interest such as the Tridel project or a new school or park, I organize local residents meetings, again in the evening. As a member of the Richmond Hill Library Board of Trustees, I attend one to two evening meetings a month.
I also believe in supporting community groups and functions and regularly attend fundraising events, openings, ceremonies and presentations, again usually on evenings and weekends.
OK; so you go out at night a lot – there are lots of hours in the day. And that’s true – that’s when I attend the meetings of the nearly twenty committees I either sit on or chair such as the Richmond Hill Theatre Steering Committee, Budget Committee, Audit Committee, York Region Police District 2 Community Liaison Committee and so on. All of those activities require preparation time to read agendas and briefing materials, make notes and prepare follow up questions for staff.
Residents’ phone calls can come in at any time of the day or evening and there is daily correspondence and reading material. Just think what the schedule of the Mayor must be!
OK, OK, they say – so you are busy – what about personal time and family activities. My response is always that behind every effective Councillor there is a supporting and understanding spouse and family and without them I simply could not do my job. Am I complaining – absolutely not – Do I like being a Councillor – you bet! Would I change anything – No Way!