Hughes, Moen, and Wells to run in Fire Board byelection June 14

Derek Kilbourn

Sounder News

Three people have stepped forward to run in the June 14 Byelection for the Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District Board.

James Hughes, Kent Moen, and Charleen Wells have agreed to stand for the byelection.

Two positions are available, vacated after James Arends and Fred Apstein resigned as Trustees from the Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District Board. Arends resigned on April 25. Apstein resigned on May 3. Arends had two years left in his term. Apstein had one year.

As with a regular election and Annual General Meeting, the polls will be open for voting from Noon until 7pm.

A special general meeting will be held at 7:30pm, after polls close.

In a regular election, everyone is running for a three-year term.

With this byelection, there are two different term lengths available for those who win.

According to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs:

• All improvement district trustees are elected to a three year term unless they were elected to fill the remainder of the term for a trustee whose position became vacant.

• If there is a vacancy for different length terms, the candidate with the greatest number of votes cast will hold office for the longest term (generally a three-year term).

• The candidate with the second greatest number of votes cast holds office for the next longest term.

• If a trustee(s) resigns their position before the end of their three-year term, then a by-election must be held and the person(s) elected to that position serves for the remaining portion of the three-year term.

• The by-election is held according to the same procedures established in the improvement district’s Letters Patent and election procedures established by the board of trustees.

Earlier this year, the 2023 Regular Election saw the largest election turnout in GFPID history, with 882 ballots cast on April 19, 2023.

Candidates have been sent a Q&A. With the next paper edition coming out on stands on Election Day, answers received to the Q&A will be posted online by Monday, June 12.