A consultant hired by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent to review the composition of Council and ward boundaries is recommending four options for now.
StrategyCorp said it has received feedback from residents and reviewed comparable municipalities and has concluded that the municipality should consider either keeping the status quo, or reducing one, three, or five Council positions.
Council is expected to vote on those options Monday night at its meeting in order to move forward with the review of ward boundaries within Chatham-Kent.
Options not recommended in the preliminary report include increasing the size of Council, decreasing the size of Council below 13 (12 + Mayor), moving from elections by ward to elections at-large, and create a deputy mayor position, elected at-large.
The review was approved by Council to ensure the municipality can provide an effective and equitable system of representation for all residents.
The consultant also said based current and forecast population data and public feedback, the existing ward structure, with minor modifications, could continue to be a viable option, if there were no changes to the existing Council size.
"When viewed through the lens of voter parity, the existing wards can deliver acceptable, but not optimal, mathematical parity for the 2026 and 2030 elections," wrote StrategyCorp in its preliminary report going to Chatham-Kent Council Monday evening.
However, they added the effects of growth have undermined the ability of existing ward boundaries to deliver effective representation in neighbourhoods in Wards 2, 4, 5, and 6.
The consultant anticipates presenting draft ward boundary maps to Council on November 4, 2024, holding public consultation on those maps sometime next month, and presenting their final report and recommendations to Council on December 16, 2024.
Administration said no deputations will be received on this item as public meetings have already been held.