New regional councillors mulling over next chair
The protocol faux pas sent a wave of giggles through the crowd at the Port Dalhousie Remembrance Day service Sunday morning.
Strictly speaking, St. Catharines regional councillor-elect Jim Bradley shouldn’t have been speaking as a politician at the service. He doesn’t get sworn in until Dec. 6. But no one else would represent Niagara Region at the event.
When the MC called upon outgoing Regional Chair Alan Caslin or his representative, no one came forward. Caslin was not there and the only serving councillor in the audience was St. Catharines representative Bruce Timms, who chose not to step forward.
So Bradley took the microphone.
While Bradley’s speech was focused on remembrance and steered clear of anything related to local government, his presence at the microphone sent tongues a-wagging, if for no other reason that he is regarded as the front-runner to become the next regional chair.
“It is certainly something I am giving very serious thought to,” Bradley said during an interview last week. “I am very humbled and heartened by the messages of support I have been receiving. I also realize, out of respect for those who are supporting me, I have to announce a decision very soon.”
The regional chair is elected by the members of council after they are sworn in, and the public has no direct say on who will take the position.
Typically, those interested in the post begin lobbying other councillors-elect shortly after the election, promising support for projects or offering the chairpersonship or membership on committees and boards.
Bradley said if he puts his name forward, he won’t make any such deals.
“That is what created so many of the problems during the last council, and I won’t be making those kinds of promises,” he said.
The vote for chair is normally done by secret ballot and those ballots are not released publicly.
St. Catharines councillor-elect Laura Ip told The Standard she will move to have the speeches by nominees and the vote be public. A few other incoming councillors, including Sandie Bellows of
St. Catharines and Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton, said they would support that kind of motion.
None of the 31 councillors-elect who will be sworn in on Dec. 6 have publicly declared an intention to stand for chair, and few have openly declared their support for any candidates.
The Standard spoke to 29 of the incoming councillors — Niagara Falls Coun. Bob Gale and Pelham mayor-elect Marv Junkin did not respond to interview requests — and 13 of them are openly supporting Bradley or are leaning toward his candidacy.
“This should be a slam dunk for Bradley,” said St. Catharines Coun. Brian Heit, one of the few incumbents re-elected. “He has experience, he can work with all parties and he is someone who is respected by the public.
Another five councillors-elect responded positively when asked about Bradley as a possible chair, but said they would not declare support for anyone. Rather they stressed the need for the next chair to be a “statesman,” have the ability to bring people together and work with all political parties.
“I am not going to get drawn into making alliances. That is one of the things that got the previous council into trouble,” said Pelham councillor-elect Diana Huson, who said she is waiting to see who puts their name forward.
Some councillors from that group said whoever the next chair is cannot be connected to the voting bloc that came to be known as “the cabal” that held the balance of power during the term.
“It absolutely cannot be someone from the cabal,” said Easton. “Council needs a change in leadership.”
Eleven councillors-elect declined to share their thoughts on any particular councillor-elect as chair.
“There are so many new councillors, I don’t even know who they are all yet. So I am not taking anyone off the table,” said Bellows.
She also suggested while she understands Bradley has some support, perhaps council needs someone younger to sit as the chair, although she declined to speculate who that might be. She said she was annoyed by an email campaign in support of Bradley.
“It’s not Jim’s doing, but people who support him,” she said. “I’m getting messages every day. I don’t like it.”
Most councillors reached said the choice of the next chair is both vital and difficult.
The last term of council was marked by a string of controversies, including integrity issues and the violation of a journalist’s charter rights, police board deficits and problems at Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. Most councillors-elect said the election of the next chair will send a clear signal that regional council is going to change — or that it isn’t.
Incoming West Lincoln mayor David Bylsma said voters clearly rejected the approach of the last council, and the next chair needs to reflect the will of the electorate.
On the other hand, there are few veteran politicians returning to regional council. Most of the returning incumbents are mayors with only three others having sat on council. Twenty councillors-elect are entirely new to the council and only a few have any political experience at all.
Some councillors, like Bellows, say they have been contacted by Gale who is testing the waters to see if there is enough support for him to stand as chair.
None of the 29 incoming councillors reached by The Standard expressed support for Gale. Some rejected him on the basis of being part of the previous group that controlled council.
“Mr. Gale has been a key player in this past term’s corruption and mismanagement,” said Ip. “He is not chair material and I would be adamantly opposed to his nomination for the position.”
Others, like incumbent St. Catharines Coun. Tim Rigby and Welland Mayor Frank Campion, said they like Gale personally but do not believe he has the temperament to lead regional council.
Incoming Niagara Falls councillor Barbara Greenwood, who served on the council before the last one, also said Gale would not be a suitable chair and said despite having experience she will not put her name forward.
If she became chair the runnerup in Niagara Falls — defeated incumbent Selina Volpatti — would backfill Greenwood’s seat, something she is not prepared to allow.
If Bradley or another St. Catharines councillor is chosen as chair, then defeated incumbent Kelly Edgar would fill the vacant seat.