The Ward 2 runner-up in Belleville’s last election says city council’s debate on replacing the late Pat Culhane’s council seat, and the social media reaction is changing her mind about whether to become involved.
Kathryn Brown sits on Belleville’s Planning Advisory Committee, is the owner of a downtown business, and president of Downtown Belleville.
Brown tells Quinte News she was giving “a lot of thought” to applying through the newly-formed search committee.
She says she had a lot of conversations with Culhane about increasing the number of women on council, but after the sometimes divisive debate and social media comments, she says “It’s not something I want to jump into.”
“I think it’s going to be a difficult decision by whomever is selected by this committee and I just I don’t know that it’s something that I would like to do at this point.”
An Ad hoc committee will take applications and recommend a candidate to council at its January meeting.
“Based on what I saw last night I just don’t see this going well.”
Brown indicated she might run in the next local election.
