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Council race: If elected, he'll be a full-time councillor, Ward 6 candidate says

'It won't matter when the meetings are, I will be available,' Chris Bentley says
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Ward 6 candidate Chris Bentley says he will consider being a councillor a full-time job if he's elected Oct. 22. (File)

Ward 6 candidate Chris Bentley says he will consider being a councillor a full-time job if he's elected Oct. 22.

“There are some who have criticized this decision, calling me irresponsible to my current employer and that a full time commitment to a part time position is foolish and unnecessary,” Bentley writes. “This was not a decision that was made hastily. I have done plenty of research and had numerous conversations with both current and former councillors to find out what to expect from the role.”

To be effective, there's a lot of research needed to be as prepared as possible, he writes.

“There are agendas and reports to read, conversations to have with both constituents and staff,” Bentely writes. “There are questions to be both asked and answered. Going into any meeting unprepared is irresponsible.

“Committing to this role full time will allow for more Ward 6 representation across multiple committees because it won't matter when the meetings are. I will be available.”

Full text of Bentley's letter:

As some or all of you may know, I have pledged that, if elected, I will step into the role of City Councillor Ward 6 on a full time basis. There are some who have criticized this decision, calling me irresponsible to my current employer and that a full time commitment to a part time position is foolish and unnecessary.

This was not a decision that was made hastily. I have done plenty of research and had numerous conversations with both current and former Councillors to find out what to expect from the role. There is so much more to being an effective representative than just showing up at a Council meeting every other Tuesday evening. In order to be effective at these meetings, there is plenty of reading and preparation to be done to properly represent the best interests of the people who elected me. There are agendas and reports to read, conversations to have with both constituents and staff. There are questions to be both asked and answered. Going into any meeting unprepared is irresponsible.

I have done my homework and feel that I am fully prepared for what this role will bring and the effort it will require. It is a huge responsibility and I am definitely not taking it lightly. It would be naive of me to underestimate the effort it will take to be an effective representative of Ward 6 citizens, the type of Councillor I expect mine to be. This is not about me or any personal agenda. This is about Ward 6 and the people who live there. This is about doing what is best for the ward as a whole. We will all be going to Tom Davies Square, I will simply be your voice.

Committing to this role full time will allow for more Ward 6 representation across multiple committees because it won't matter when the meetings are. I will be available. When a constituent has a question or concern to be addressed, it will be. I will be available. When a conversation or meeting has to happen with City staff or management, I will be available. When a constituent has a concern, they expect answers and they expect to be acknowledged. Phone calls need to be answered, emails and messages require responses. I will be available. This decision is not about irresponsibility to my current job, it is about my responsibility to our ward and you, the people who elect me.

One of the recurring messages I am hearing as I talk to people all over the ward is that they are not being heard and listened to, that what is important is not a priority for their Councillor. People want to amd deserve to be heard. Citizens prioritize issues differently. For example, transit service improvements may not be as important to the familu with three cars as it is to the person who doesn't drive. To that family, whose car just got repaired, pot holes might be a more pressing issue. To a Councillor, both of those issues have to be important and given full effort. Every issue from every constituent deserves to be given the same respect as the next. That type of effort will require time. I will be available.

Many people have indicated they want change. They no longer want the type of representation they currently are getting or have had previously. They want someone who will listen, someone who will make time for them and someone who will get them answers. They want to be a priority and are tired of taking a back seat to personal agendas. They want someone who represents everybody in the ward. They want to be heard and feel like they are parr of the process. They want to know what is going on at Tom Davies Square.

By making a full time commitment, I am making it a priority to make the time to listen to you, the people of Ward 6. It is the representation you deserve and the representation I will deliver.

#chrisbentleyforWard6 


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