BY NANCY KELLY
Kings County Advertiser/Register
The democratic process came under scrutiny at the June 8 annual meeting of the Kingston village commission.
Thirty village residents gathered for the meeting, which veered off course just as Chairman Tom Beardsley called for a motion to acclaim Cory Lingard to the commission’s vacant seat.
“I have some concerns on this matter,” interjected ratepayer Lloyd Sundby, “and I’d like to be more clear on this.”
Sundby was referring to the village’s last minute decision to hold an advance poll for the election of one commissioner. May 26, incumbent commissioner Doug Beaman filed his nomination for the position, as did newcomer Lingard. In the week following the nomination deadline, Beardsley and village clerk Greg Towne, after consulting with the village’s municipal advisor, made the decision to allow a poll. Objecting to a lack of consultation and to the unadvertised “11th-hour” decision he felt favoured the other candidate, Beaman withdrew his candidacy and submitted his resignation from the commission June 2, just days before the end of his term.
Defending a decision which might “generate more community involvement” in the voting procedure, Towne admitted the “onus to advertise (the advance poll) would have been on the candidates to get the word out.” Voters were notified through posters placed at the village and post office.
Former commissioner John Pierce said he was “more concerned with the process.” When he pressed Beardsley to reveal if other commissioners had been consulted about establishing an advance poll, Beardsley confirmed that was not the case.
“I will take responsibility for that,” said Beardsley.
Pierce’s position was shared by many at the meeting, including former commissioner Scott Peckford, who said “the haste of the decision has left people uncomfortable.”
Another village resident claimed the decision “doesn’t have a nice smell to it for our little village.”
Lingard, whose request generated the decision to hold the advance poll, was in attendance.
“I understand why people are upset, but that was not my purpose,” said Lingard, who indicated his interest in having an advance poll was about getting more people involved in village affairs.
After a lengthy discussion of the issue, Sundby moved the village to call for new nominations and begin the process all over again. The vote, recorded by a show of hands, was overwhelmingly in favour of the motion.
Towne said he would consult with Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Affairs before announcing new dates for nominations and advanced and regular polling if required.
