While the list of candidates seeking municipal office in New Tecumseth has grown cold this month, a pending decision to deal with the proposed fluoride plebiscite asking residents whether they favour adding the chemical to the municipal water system in Alliston, Beeton, and Tottenham, faces two deadlines in April.
The first comes April 17, which is the “Last day for notice of intent to pass a by-law to submit question to electors, … (Note: at least one public meeting to be held prior to passage).” The other is April 30th, “Last day to pass or amend a by-law to submit question to electors.”
Last fall, New Tecumseth councillors voted 7-3 to end fluoridation of the water system in Tottenham. The 40-year-old practice, which started following a ballot question in 1973 supported by about 83 per cent of voters, ceased officially Oct. 15th, 2013. In companion to that, councillors agreed to the idea of putting the fluoride question on the ballot asking voters if they favoured expanding fluoride treatment to the entire urban municipal water system.
New Tecumseth council, which doesn’t meet again until March 3, has three general government and three council meetings to the end of April.
Other deadlines associated with the Oct. 27th municipal and school board elections, include, March 31, when ward/poll data (defining voting subdivisions) is to be submitted to MPAC; April 3rd is the deadline for school boards to provide school board election clerks with a copy of the Report on Determination and Distribution of Trustees; and Municipal Enumeration Notices to be mailed by MPAC (mid April to mid-May estimated time frame), as well, consider complementary messaging reminding electors the accuracy of the voters list and therefore their ease in obtaining a ballot may be affected by accuracy of enumeration process.