Bracebridge lawyer Jean Polak has been appointed as moderator should more than one person run for the position of District chair of Muskoka.
The appointment was approved by District council at its June 20 meeting. Polak will be paid an honourarium in the amount of $350.
If more than one candidate runs for the position of District chair, a formal ‘Meet the candidates/Debate’ event will be scheduled for Monday, November 28, 2022, at the District council chambers.
At that event, candidates will be asked to respond to prepared questions which must be submitted to the District clerk by members of the public and/or councillors-elect by no later than 3 p.m. on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
Following the October 24, 2022 municipal election, newly elected District councillors will be officially sworn in at their Dember 5, 2022 inaugural council meeting. At that meeting, councillors will also be required to elect the District chair via a secret ballot if the position is contested. Should there only be one candidate, they may be appointed by resolution as was the case during the last election, explained District clerk Amy Back.
Currently, the position is filled by John Klinck who has occupied that seat since 2010.
In 2021 Klinck was paid $106,091.48, including benefits, and that sum is expected to increase in the 2022-2026 term of council.
In January 2022, District council approved an annual increase for the District chair position of $2,400. That means for years 1-4 of the new term of council, the District of Muskoka chair will receive $100,730, $103,130, $105,530, and $107,930 respectively, plus benefits.
Anyone over the age of 18 who can vote within the District of Muskoka and does not currently hold a position with the upper-tier municipality can run for the position. You can find out about all the requirements here (pdf).
Those planning to run for the position must hand in their nomination to District Back by no later than Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 4 p.m.
Although Klinck has not made his intentions official, sources say they believe he plans to run again.
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