MAYNOOTH – The Municipality of Hastings Highlands is looking to review its council composition and ward boundaries, but first it wants to hear from its residents.
That was the message from Robyn Rogers, clerk/manager of corporate services for Hastings Highlands. She presented a report on the subject during a special council meeting, held in Maynooth’s Emond Hall on November 23. She was asked to provide council information on the issue of wards versus an at large system, following a delegation on the topic from a member of the public on May 4, 2016.
Currently, the mayor is elected at large, or by the whole municipality. A deputy mayor is appointed from one of the six councillors who are voted in by their respective wards. There are three wards including Bangor-Wicklow-McClure (ward 1), Hershel (ward 2) and Monteagle (ward 3).
“Composition and boundary lines are two separate entities,” Rogers explained to the 30 or so members of the public gathered that afternoon. “However, they are intertwined when looking at solutions for representation amongst the municipality.”
She outlined the results from the 2014 election. The amount of eligible electors in ward 1 is 3,048, ward 2 is 2,581 and ward 3 is 1,483.
Get your November 30, 2016 edition of The Valley Gazette to read the full story.