Although they won’t be able to make their choice before the next municipal election, the Deputy Warden said the decision of a warden versus a mayoral system will have to be decided by the next council.
Deputy Warden Shawn Samson told last night’s regular monthly meeting of Richmond Municipal Council in Arichat that the choice has been “lurking for many years now” but can only be decided before the 2028 election.
During the strategic planning process in 2019, Samson said an online survey showed that 76 per cent of residents favoured electing a mayor but time ran out before a decision could be made the mandatory nine months before the 2020 election.
When it comes to the mayor or warden question, Samson said the next council will need to properly engage the public and fully inform them what the two options mean.
Under a mayoral system, there could be six elected representatives, Samson noted. He said another consequence of the mayoral system is that those who decide to run for mayor cannot run for a council seat, and vice versa.
District 2 Councillor Michael Diggdon said the municipality needs to take the time to conduct a proper survey because if a mayoral system is chosen, there is no returning to a system where a warden is elected by councillors.
Members of Richmond County County Council: (left to right) District 1 Councillor and Deputy Warden Shawn Samson, District 3 Councillor Melanie Sampson, District 5 Councillor Brent Sampson, District 4 Councillor and Warden Amanda Mombourquette, and District 2 Councillor Michael Diggdon (photo by Jake Boudrot)
While Diggdon said there is a danger that all councillors and the mayor could come from the same part of the municipality if an at-large system is selected, Warden Amanda Mombourquette said a district system could instead be chosen that would avoid that possibility.
The warden said some municipalities like the Town of Port Hawkesbury elect a mayor and town councillors at-large, while others like the Cape Breton Regional Municipal elect a mayor, with councillors from geographically established districts.