YORKTON - Members of Yorkton Council came smack dab into the reality of their positions at their regular meeting -- not everyone will be happy with the decisions they make.
At times even, taxpayers are going to pick up the telephone and call to voice their displeasure at some new bylaw, or tax increase, or project the city is undertaking.
This of course is not new. Councillors have been hearing from residents since before the telephone.
By the nature of politics, you will never manage a decision, even if you have worked diligently to build consensus, where everyone is happy.
Even when Council makes a decision and no one calls to voice their disagreement, there will be those unhappy and voicing those views at local coffee shops, or this era, more likely via social media.
Of course feedback from residents is not a bad thing – even that which is in disagreement with decisions. There can be new insights provided which can help those we elect make better decisions moving forward, and even if it’s just a discussion there is value in having direct access to those we elect too.
But, it all does leave a question, when do phone calls, and street corner talks add up to be a sufficient level of unhappiness that a Councillor should look to perhaps change their position on an issue?
That is a question some Councillors are wrestling with over an earlier decision to lower the speed limit in school zones to 30 kilometres an hour, and to have that speed in effect 24 hours a day.
Now at a point of amending the Traffic Bylaw to make that decision law, Councillors are getting calls, most in disagreement with the reduced speed limit being 24 hours.
“Kids shouldn’t be out at school zones at that time,” summed up Councillor Ken Chyz Monday.
Quite true, but you could just as easily suggest no one needs to speed up through a school zone at 3 a.m. either. The few kilometres added speed is hardly going to change one’s trip in a city where sans a train going through, you can drive virtually anywhere in five-10 minutes.
The 24 hour a day is a mechanism to reinforce the lower speed limit for drivers. It’s always in effect, there’s a school, so slow down.
Realistically, if a reduced speed limit is an issue for a driver at 3 a.m. it is pretty easy to take an alternate route on a nightly drive too.
Still the question of how many calls should mean a change of mind for Councillors?
Well in 2020 just under 4,000 voted in the municipal election, but that was down from just more than 4800 in 2016, both being far fewer than those actually eligible to vote.
But even at that it would take 200 calls to five per cent of ‘voters,’ and that is still a very small percentage.
In the end, councillors need to remember they are elected to make decisions they feel are the best for the overall community, which means at times making unpopular choices. For example, tax increases are not popular, but the revenues are needed.
Calls of disagreement will happen, but if a Councillor thinks a decision is still good for the community, then their path is clear.
