Being a councillor while keeping your job a balancing act, candidates say

Although the work of a Halifax Regional Municipality councillor is often viewed as full-time job, candidates don't always plan to set their careers aside for public office.

Veterinarian Trevor Lawson says he wants to continue caring for his farm animal patients while representing the people of District 1, Waverley-Fall River-Musquodoboit Valley.

"I'm looking at this as an opportunity for public service as opposed to looking for a job," Lawson said Saturday, a week before polls close.

"[Veterinary work] happens at all times of day and all hours, much the same as what the council position would be, so I think the two will work very well together."

Lawson says he also must continue working to maintain his vet licence, but as a part owner of his clinic, he will be able to cut back.

He is running against Steve Streatch, Steve Sinnott, Alison McNair, Cathy Deagle-Gammon and Colin Castle.

Term limits

Elsewhere in the province, councillors with towns or municipalities often hold other jobs. But Halifax councillor duties "exceed the expectations of an 'average full-time worker'," a compensation study found last March. Halifax councillors are each paid about $82,000 annually.

Lawson supports imposing term limits to increase the variety of voices, which veteran municipal politician Sue Uteck says may push candidates to consider how to "keep your foot in the private world, as well."

After losing her District 7 Halifax-South-Downtown seat in 2012, Uteck says she was "one of the lucky ones" to find a job.

"For colleagues that were defeated or chose not to run, some of them had a very, very hard time gaining employment," she said.

But, she warns, being a councillor simply may be too busy for a side job.

"Your phone's going to be ringing 24/7," she said.

Uteck is running against incumbent Waye Mason and Dominick Desjardins.

'Not your typical 9 to 5'

Steve Adams, incumbent for District 11 Spryfield-Sambro Loop-Prospect Road, straddled the private and public sectors for 22 years.

"I was fortunate. My job was not your typical nine to five," Adams said. 

Since 1991, the number of eligible voters he's represented have swelled from about 5,000 to 18,000, he said. The work load grew again in 2012, when the number of councillors dropped from 23 to 16. On top of it all, his pharmaceutical sales job took him around Atlantic Canada. By 2013, he retired from the private sector.

"I just couldn't do both jobs and do them well," Adams said.

Don't quit yet: councillor

Still, Adams wouldn't urge candidates to give up their jobs once elected. Adams says they might have trouble finding a second job, as they'll need days off and have to field calls at work.

"If they have the job now, the best thing to do is wait and see. See how the workload works out," Adams said.

Adams is running against Dawn Penney.

Effort over hours

But Lawson says he'll keep working as a veterinarian. 

"We've had councillors in that past that have considered themselves full-time councillors, yet only attended 50 per cent of council meetings," he said. 

"It's not going to be an issue of me not showing up. I'll certainly be there and will make it happen."

The final day for municipal voting is Oct. 15.