It is true that in recent columns I have spent a lot of time expressing frustration - or perhaps it is fear – that we have a serious problem in this community when we have no candidates for the upcoming municipal election. I have though, perhaps stumbled upon a contributing factor to this lack of candidates.

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from a rural Meaford reader who was having difficulty finding information about how to become a candidate in the upcoming election.

Dear Editor,

I read with interest your description of 2010 Election race (or lack of) in the Independent. 

And The Race is On! ...Sort of

Meaford voters will actually get to vote in the upcoming municipal election, but don't get overly excited just yet.

In the past week we gained a candidate in the run for council when local real estate agent Mike Poetker filed his papers with the clerk, formally declaring his candidacy.