Prince Edward County Council is looking at performing a review of its own internal structure.
Councillor Chris Braney has proposed reevaluating how council operates.
Several local residents gave deputations or comments in regards to this motion, voicing their opposition to reducing the size of council.
Gary Mooney is a Prince Edward County resident who previously endorsed reducing the number of seats on council, and spoke to council in opposition to further reductions.
“The County is unique in many ways, in particular because it is a community of communities, and has been so throughout settler history,” said Mooney. “Ten communities until recently, now nine, we need to preserve our communities.”
None of the members of public present who spoke supported reducing the number of seats on council.
A previous review was done as part of a multi-year effort that ended in 2016 with Bloomfield and Hallowell wards being merged and two council seats eliminated.
There are currently 14 seats on council, 13 councillors and the mayor.
The motion brought forward by Braney did not call directly to reduce the size of council, but did reference the previous studies that lead to the reduction of seats in 2016 and called for a third party review of the government structure.
Later in the meeting, councillors had a chance to discuss the motion directly, provoking intense debate in the council chamber.
Councillor Braney said that periodic reviews like this were important to ensure that the government was operating effectively.
“I think it’s always healthy to have a look periodically at governance structure, to plan and look at scenarios that may come down the road,” said Braney. “Another reason I brought it forward was it was an overwhelming request from residents throughout the county in the municipal election, and I wanted to do this early to show people we are listening to them.
Not every councillor was in agreement. Councillor Roy Pennell was very vocally opposed to doing more studies into the governance structure, saying it was a waste of staff time and taxpayer money, and suggesting the money would be better spent on roads or housing.
“To reintroduce something at this time is just, as far as I’m concerned, ridiculous, unfair to the taxpayers of this county,” said Pennell. “There’s been a fortune spent on that. The Ontario Municipal Board did approve four years ago what way we were going.”
The motion passed eight to five.
