Being a municipal councilor is a lot of work and the pay ($8,920 per year) is not outstanding.
Nevertheless, it is a rewarding and important job.
That was what seven potential candidates for District of Clearwater council were told last Wednesday evening during an orientation session put on by the municipality.
“You have to put your personal preferences aside and think of what’s best for the community,” said Candus Graffunder, a two-term council member who is not running this election.
The members of council might not agree with each other, and sometimes the discussions get heated, she said. Nevertheless, it is important that, at the end of the day, they all work together.
Even though many of them had little experience before they started, the council that more or less has been in power since incorporation four years ago developed into a strong team and a model of cooperation, Graffunder felt.
Seven of the 10 people who had submitted their nomination papers by Wednesday or indicated an interest in doing so took advantage of the District’s orientation session: Stephanie Teare, Merlin Blackwell, Jon Kreke, Gord Heisterman, Elia Ganderski, Barry Banford, and Samantha Frye.
District of Clearwater provides a multitude of services to local residents, chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx told them.
These include water to about 800 water users and sewer for about 200, fire department, Dutch Lake beach, economic development, and local parks.
In 2013 the new municipality will take over road maintenance, which will have big budget implications.
Services offered in conjunction with Thompson-Nicola Regional District through the Joint Services Committee with Wells Gray Country (Area A) include the Sportsplex and the transit bus service.
The District has a protocol agreement with Simpcw First Nation and has participated in five community-to-community forums with the band and other local governments.
Clearwater’s Junior Council is an innovation developed by councilor Graffunder that is being copied elsewhere in the province.
District of Clearwater recently adopted a community wildfire protection plan.
Attending conferences such as those put on by Union of B.C. Municipalities or Southern Interior Local Government Association are important tasks for council members.
“The citizens of Clearwater are actually our bosses,” Groulx said.