On Prince Edward Island, a place where no one wants to be the mayor

A small P.E.I. municipality has a big problem: No one wants to be mayor.

Wellington – with a population of 400 – is nestled in the heart of P.E.I.’s Acadian community, about a 20-minute drive from Summerside.

Municipal elections are scheduled for Monday, but no one stepped forward as a mayoral candidate, despite an extended nomination deadline.

Current Mayor Alcide Bernard, who’s coming out of a four-year term, says he feels as though he’s done all he can for the community, and would like to see someone new take over.

But with nobody offering for the position, Communities Minister Richard Brown has indicated he would like to re-appoint Bernard as mayor until they can find someone else.

The new council around the table on Dec. 7 will be almost entirely new, and Bernard says he would be prepared to stay on for another year or two to help them settle in – but he says he’s looking forward to eventually stepping back and enjoying his retirement.