Ward Councillor Awareness Signs Disappearance

Residents have been asking me, “where did those signs go?”

Strathcona County sign bylaw removed the signs. I was told that, based on their interpretation of the Elections Sign Bylaw that the signs were illegal. I would like to explain the circumstances to my residents.

On Sept. 20, 2010, I was acclaimed as Ward 2 Councillor. In an effort to communicate with the 9,000 people in the ward and let them know who their Councillor is, and how to contact her, I put out 10 signs.

On Sept. 24, 2010,  the Sign Bylaw department received a complaint about the signs from people running other election campaigns. The Bylaw Sign Department then removed nine signs on Oct. 9, 2010.

I was not notified prior to sign removal.  I applied for, and was given, a $250 Development Permit to Place Temporary Election Signs.  The permit lists many conditions that would render the permit invalid – but unfortunately does not outline the situation of an acclaimed candidate.

Because administration had no clear guideline, they were forced to make a judgement call. By referring to the Elections Act and Webster’s Dictionary, they ruled that

as soon as I was acclaimed, I was no longer a candidate and therefore not entitled to have election signs erected. Apparently, my signs do not qualify for any kind of temporary permit. I cannot be refunded any money. The signs were impounded and I was told that the cost to get those signs back is $50 each.

I certainly accept the ruling but am concerned that, because of a lack of clear cut sign bylaw, our front line staff are left in a difficult position - forced to make judgement calls that take time away from their enforcement duties. This is not the most cost effective way to run a department.

I have talked to other candidates running for elected positions on Council and School Board and found that they too were running into interpretation and judgement call issues such as bylaw officers eye-balling rather than measuring the size of signs, while other officers are granting a “tolerance factor” and showing leniency.

Although I have suffered a financial loss because of this experience and my volunteers put a lot of hard work into making and putting up the signs, I did learn a lot.

I now have more empathy for what our business community is going through with the sign bylaw. I see challenges in clarifying the bylaw in several areas. I see the need to examine more carefully our service delivery with regard to management giving much more clarity to front line staff. And I see yet another aspect of the need for Strathcona County to ‘raise the bar’ to create an improved level of customer service with a focus and culture that builds better relationships.