The clock is ticking.
One deadline has already passed for municipal council candidates to file their financial statements at Barrie City Hall, but they still have one last chance albeit only a few more hours.
The initial deadline to submit at city hall was 2 p.m., March 29. However, candidates still have until tomorrow to file, while facing a $500 late fee.
Those who don't file their campaign expenses by the deadline are prohibited from running in the next municipal election in 2022.
All successful council members following last fall's municipal election have filed their financial statements, including Jeff Lehman, Clare Riepma, Keenan Aylwin, Doug Shipley, Barry Ward, Robert Thomson, Natalie Harris, Gary Harvey, Jim Harris, Sergio Morales and Mike McCann.
A report, in the form of a memo to city council, will outline any candidates who exceeded the prescribed campaign limits. Anyone who goes over the limit will also not be eligible to run in the 2022 municipal election.
"It's not uncommon, but it happens from time to time," city clerk Wendy Cooke told BarrieToday.
Based on the provisions in the Municipal Elections Act, the report will also identify any donor who exceeds the contribution limits, which are $1,200 per candidate or $5,000 in total, Cooke said.
The financial statements indicate how much a candidate spent on their campaign, from signs to other forms of advertising.
The formula for each ward's spending limit, as well as for the mayoral race, is based on a base amount plus an amount per eligible voter.
In the case of mayoral candidates, the amount is $7,500 plus 85 cents for each elector entitled to vote for the office, while the councillor amount is $5,000 plus 85 cents for each eligible voter.
For the mayor's position, incumbent Jeff Lehman defeated challenger Ram Faerber with more than 90 per cent of the vote.
The limit for the mayor's post was set at $83,330, but Lehman came in at a fraction of that total.
Lehman's total expenses subject to the general spending limit were $25,713. That includes $13,061 for flyers and brochures, $2,983 for advertising, $1,494 for 'awareness events', $1,240 for meetings hosted, and $523 for signs.
With an additional $1,356 for an election day party, $867 for volunteer appreciation, and just over $2,000 for accounting, auditing and bank charges, Lehman's total campaign expenses were a few dimes over $30,000.
Lehman's financial statement also includes $22,175 in campaign contributions. Among the 36 supporters who gave $200 or more, there were seven people who donated the maximum $1,200, including Dean Bell, John Duivenvoorden, Robert Lehman, Joan Lehman, Hilda McKinlay, John Pickard, and Paul Sadlon Sr.
Faerber's expenses included $2,751.55 for signs and $300 for gas.
Ward 1, which had nine candidates vying for the east-end representative's seat vacated by Bonnie Ainsworth, had a limit of $12,995. Ward 1 candidates had total expenses subject to the general spending limit of: Avery Konda ($7,512), Ryan Cardwell ($6,974); Shaughna Ainsworth ($6,370); Ann-Marie Kungl ($2,596); Graham Allary ($1,833); Erin Hennigar ($731); Cole Walsh ($149); and Dusko Jankov, who claimed no contributions or expenses. Clare Riepma, who won the ward with 29.7 per cent of the vote, spent $5,152.
Ward 2, which includes the city's downtown core, had a limit of $14,461. Candidate Richard Forward, who finished in second place, had a final tally of $14,418, subject to the general spending limit. Forward, who is the city's former general manager of infrastructure and growth management, also had $14,000 in campaign contributions, including $1,200 from each of William Moore, Donald Pratt, Heljar Hansen and Wendy Halbert. Yolanda Gallo, who finished in fourth, spent $1,457. Incumbent Rose Romita, who came in third in the four-person race, has not filed a statement with the city.
Ward 3, in the city's north end, had a limit of $11,116. Incumbent Doug Shipley, who retained the ward with almost 70 per cent of the vote, spent $9,599 and had $9,600 in contributions, made up entirely of maximum $1,200 donations from Gary Silverberg, Heljar Hansen, Karen Hansen, Robert Hekkenberg, Beverley Payetta, David Boushy, Yolanda Lucoe-Ford and Jason Ford. Second-place finisher Tanya Saari spent $2,668 and third-place Lynn-Anne Hill came in at $2,731.
Ward 4, also in the city's north end, had a limit of $12,615. Incumbent Barry Ward, who regained his council seat with more than 50 per cent of the vote, spent $5,488 subject to the general spending limit, while second-place finisher Bryan Harris tallied $4,315 and third-place Daniel Boucher came in at $1,008.
Ward 5, in the city's northwest end, had a limit of $11,992. Robert Thomson, who won the seat with 55 per cent of the vote, spent $5,020 and had $2,350 in campaign contributions. Incumbent Peter Silveira, who finished in second place, spent $2,400, while third-place finisher Brandon Cassidy filed zero dollars in expenses. Harry Ahmed, who came in fourth, spent $4,050.
Ward 6, in the central portion of the city, had a spending limit of $12,956. Natalie Harris, who won the seat, spent $6,815 on her campaign. Stephen Trotter, who'd been appointed to council during the previous term, claimed $7,388 subject to the general spending limit, pretty much all of which was covered by campaign contributions. Colin Nelthorpe, who finished fourth in the four-person race, tallied $1,392. Micheline Robichaud has not filed a financial statement at city hall.
Ward 7, in the city's southwest end, had a spending limit of $12,724. Gary Harvey, who won the ward race, spent $9,646 on his campaign, which included $3,000 in contributions. Incumbent Andrew Prince, who finished second, spent $8,672 against the general spending limit and had $4,650 in campaign donations. Bonnie North, who finished third, filed expenses totalling $2,493, while fourth-place John McEachern filed zero dollars in expenses.
Ward 8, which includes the city's Allandale neighbourhood, had a spending limit of $14,146. Jim Harris, who won the ward with 30.78 per cent of the vote, spent $1,306 subject to the general spending limit. Second-place finished Brad Thompson, who had 30.51 per cent of the vote, claimed $5,936 and had $1,200 in contributions. Third-place Brian Miller spent $971. Shelly Skinner has not filed a financial statement.
Ward 9, in the city's south end, had a spending limit of $10,358. Incumbent Sergio Morales, who was acclaimed, spent $80 on printed materials.
Ward 10, located in the city's southeast end, had a spending limit of $12,300. Incumbent Mike McCann, who handily won his seat again, spent $9,876 on his campaign and had $9,600 in campaign contributions, including maximum $1,200 donations from Mathew Silverberg, Chris Pratt, Howard Campbell, Heljar Hansen and Gary Silverberg. Second-place finisher John Olthuis spent $1,883 while Peter Culyer, who withdrew early in the race, filed zero dollars in expenses.
Final statements received by city officials can be found here.
