2022 BIA Board Election

You're Invited to Help Shape Your Downtown.

Your expertise and passion for the downtown, combined with your desire to work in cooperation and positivity with your fellow members is what shapes the Downtown. We invite you to apply this expertise as a BIA Board member and help ensure downtown’s success for years to come.

Nomination Period

The 2023-2026 BIA Board of Management nomination period will be open from
September 8th through to November 1st, 2022.

If you would like to let your name stand in the upcoming BIA Board Election, please complete this form.

Election Process

BIA members first express their desire to be on the Board by either registering themselves as a nominee or accepting a nomination of them made by someone else of is already a member of the BIA; that candidate can either accept or decline the nomination.

The nomination form can be found here: Nomination Form

Nominees must also submit a biography, and additional information that will be posted to the Election Page of downtownnorthbay.ca. 

If more candidates are nominated than there are positions on the BIA Board, the nominees will be presented to the BIA Members for voting. Members may vote for one candidate per available seat. Those candidates with the most votes will be presented to Council for approval and formal appointment to the Board. If a lesser number of candidates are nominated than the number of open positions on the Board, those candidates will be presented to Council for approval and formal appointment. The Board will continue to recruit to fill open positions.

Election voting period opens Monday, November 28, 2022 at 9:00am and closes Wednesday, November 30th, 2022 at 6:00pm.

 

WHAT DOES A BIA BOARD MEMBER DO?

The BIA is a governance board which oversees the BIA through providing leadership on the strategic direction, policies, annual budget, financial accountability with our Executive Director consistent with our mandate:

To improve, beautify and maintain public lands and buildings within the BIA, beyond that which is provided by the municipality at large, and
To promote the area as a business and shopping area through marketing, events/activations and beautification

The Board of Directors acts as a collective decision-making body elected and appointed by the membership. Directors do not have any individual authority to make decisions on behalf of the Downtown BIA. It is with our leadership and support the Executive Director delivers on the mandate of the BIA to oversee daily operations, the development and maintenance of stakeholder and membership relationships and the delivery

Attend all regularly scheduled Board meetings (10 per year)
Attend select BIA meetings as required

 

WHAT DOES A BOARD MEMBER NEED?

First and foremost, each Board member must have a keen interest in the affairs of Downtown North Bay and Waterfront as well as a commitment to serve and represent the best interests of all businesses in downtown.

Each Nominee is required to provide a brief bio on his/her experience and/or training. Bio must be maximum 250 words or less, point form accepted.

HOW MANY POSITIONS ARE THERE?

There are nine (9) positions available for the 2023-2026 term. Elections for the Board will be held in each year municipal elections are held, the Membership shall elect seven (7) of the nine (9) Board Members. Seven (7) members of the Board are BIA Members, and two (2) members of the Board are council members appointed by the City of North Bay.

From the list of nominees BIA Members will be asked to vote for up to seven (7) candidates. Ideal representation includes individuals from Oak Street, McIntyre Street, Main Street West and Main Street East, and diversity in the types of businesses found within the BIA. If fewer than 7 candidates are nominated no vote will be required, and the BIA Board will continue to seek out interested parties to fill the available seats.

 

WHAT IS THE TERM DURATION?

The 2023-2026 term duration shall be from January 1, 2023 , to January 31, 2026 (such that one month of cross-over exists between incoming and outgoing boards.

A vacancy shall occur where a Board Member resigns from office, is no longer eligible pursuant to the City of North Bay's By-Law 167-85 subsection 2, experiences sickness or extenuating circumstances approved by the Board, or is absent from 30% of regularly scheduled board meetings without being authorized to do so by resolution of the Board.

 

HOW DO I BECOME A NOMINEE?

To register as a nominee, fill out the Nomination Form copy by 4:00pm, November 1st 2022.
Once all of the nominations have been received the Board of Management will review them on or before November 4, 2022.

 

HOW DO I VOTE?

The list of nominees will be sent electronically for your review, and link to vote online will be provided. For voting members who are not online, a paper ballot with voting envelope will be made available starting November 21, 2022.

A link to vote online will be mailed to off-site property owners based on the tax list held by the City of North Bay file. If you are a property owner and do not have an office in the Downtown area you may request that we send the online ballot to you, or mail a ballot to an address of your choosing. If your place of business did not receive a link to vote online, or a ballot please contact the BIA office. You must be able to show proof of membership status to receive a ballot (proof of address within the BIA's boundaries, or your name on a business card). Voting will close on November 30, 2022 at 6:00pm.

In order to vote, you must submit your online vote, or return your completed ballot in the provided envelope to the BIA office, or have it sealed in the provided envelope ready for pick up, no later than 4:00pm on November 29, 2022.

Collection of ballots not brought directly to the office will take place between November 28, 2022 and November 29, 2022. If your ballot is not available at the time BIA staff come around to collect you will not be permitted to turn it in late, so please be sure to have your staff aware of your prepared ballot’s location such that it is available for pick up.

Members may vote for up to seven (7) names on the ballot, but may in their absolute discretion vote for less than seven (7) names. Ballots marked to vote for more than seven (7) names shall be declared to be spoiled.

NOTE: We encourage you to review the biographies of all nominees before making your selection (bios will be delivered electronically and be available on the BIA website 2022 BIA Board Election page). Further, we advise you to keep in mind the benefits of having a well-rounded board that encompasses the key skill sets of Marketing, Finance, Legal, HR, Strategy, Sponsorships, Innovation, Board Governance, Stakeholder Relations, Information Technology, and represents the variety of stakeholders that make up our membership and vote accordingly.

We value diversity and welcome nominees from all businesses, backgrounds, race, religion, creed, gender, orientation, and otherwise.