Council

Who decides, and how you can hold them to account

Deseronto is run by an elected council of 5 people. They set the budget, approve big purchases and hire the senior staff who run the town day to day.

Current council

• MayorDan Johnstondjohnston@deseronto.ca
• Deputy MayorSteven Everhardusseverhardus@deseronto.ca
• CouncillorNorman Clarknclark@deseronto.ca
• CouncillorKevin Smithksmith@deseronto.ca
• CouncillorJamie Ziemanjzieman@deseronto.ca

Names and official email addresses from the town's council page. None of the members lists a public social media account there.

Top number: pay. Second number: benefits and expenses together, such as health cover, mileage, conferences and training. Exactly what goes in it differs a little from town to town; the note below says what this town’s statement includes. Some members take the town’s health plan and some do not, so a higher second number is not a problem by itself. The statements give only totals; the receipts behind them can be requested from the clerk.

Each year links to the town's statement. Typed by hand from the Treasurer's yearly Statement of Remuneration and Expenses Paid to Council (Municipal Act, s. 284), printed in the council agenda package for the meeting where it was received (February 28, 2024, March 19, 2025 and March 25, 2026). Pay is the yearly honorarium. Other is the total of conferences and training, mileage and cell phone amounts listed for the member, plus, for Councillor Zieman, the per diems and mileage that Quinte Conservation reports for his appointment to its board ($372.08 in 2023, $495.60 in 2024, $714.60 in 2025). The statement shows no health benefits. We did not find the statements for 2021 and 2022.

• Partly
  Budgets posted online

  One-to-two-page budget summaries for 2024, 2025 and 2026 are posted on the Budget page. They give the levy change, highlights and a pie chart of the levy. The line-by-line budget drafts are in the council agenda packages for the special budget meetings (for example February 25, 2026), not on the budget page. Source

• Yes
  Meeting agendas and minutes

  Agendas and minutes are on the CivicWeb portal for 2023 to today, and older minutes (2021 to 2023) are on the town's website. We found minutes for every regular meeting from January 8, 2025 to September 9, 2026. The town also posts a short Council Summary on its news page after meetings. Source

• Unknown
  Meeting videos kept online

  We did not find a video channel, livestream or recordings linked from the town's website or meeting portal. Source

• Partly
  Council pay and expenses

  The yearly statement required by the Municipal Act (section 284) is presented to council each February or March and is printed in that meeting's agenda package. We found the statements for 2023, 2024 and 2025 there. We did not find them on a page of their own on the town's website. Source

• Unknown
  Conflicts of interest registry online

  We did not find a registry of declared conflicts on the town's website or meeting portal. The law requires a registry the public can inspect, not necessarily online. The minutes of all 34 regular meetings from January 8, 2025 to September 9, 2026 record no declarations of pecuniary interest. Source

• No
  Tenders and tender results (who won, how much)

  The town's Tenders and Request for Proposals page had no content when we looked, and we found no list of past tenders, bidders or winners. Some awards appear in council minutes, for example the June 25, 2025 award of the Mill Street and Maple Avenue pumping station contract to Peak Engineering. A draft procurement by-law came to council in February 2025 and stayed on its unfinished business list until at least August 2025. Source

• Yes
  Audited financial statements

  Statements for 2002 to 2025 are posted. The 2025 statements carry a clean opinion (“present fairly”) from Baker Tilly KDN LLP, signed August 14, 2026. See the question on how long the audits take. Source

• Unknown
  Integrity Commissioner and closed-meeting reports

  The Integrity Commissioner and closed-meeting investigator pages explain how to complain and list no past reports. Council received an annual report from ADR Chambers on September 9, 2026, but we did not find a copy. We do not know whether there have been any reports. Source

• Partly
  Water and sewer joint board with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte

  The agreement says the joint board meets at least four times a year. The portal has agendas and minutes for 2024 only (three meetings). We found none for 2025 or 2026. Source

• Unknown
  Candidates' campaign finances

  We did not find the 2022 candidates' financial statements on the town's election page or the meeting portal. The 2026 election page links to the Province's forms only. Source

• Meeting agendas, minutes and by-laws

  Every council agenda package (with staff reports and budget reports) and the approved minutes, on the town's meeting portal (iCompass/CivicWeb). Residents can sign up to be emailed about meetings.

• News and Notices

  The town's website news page. It posts a short “Council Summary” after council meetings, plus notices such as water main flushing and the voters' list.

• Facebook

  The town's Facebook page, linked from its website.

1. Send the request in writing to the town clerk (the freedom of information coordinator), on the town’s form or in a letter, with the $5 application fee.
2. Describe the records, not the answer you want. Dates, departments and the kind of record (a list, invoices, emails) make a request quicker and cheaper.
3. The town has 45 business days to answer (the law changed in 2026; older guides say 30 days). It can charge for search time and copies, but must send an estimate first if the fees will be over $25.
4. Some parts can be held back, such as legal advice or personal information about other people. The town must say which part of the law it relied on.
5. If you are refused, or the fees seem too high, you can appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner within 30 business days of the town’s decision.

The town's request form (on its Forms page) · The law · Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

• Every payment the town made

  The yearly reports give totals by service, not who was paid. A list of payments is the most useful record for spotting repeat suppliers, purchases split into smaller pieces, and payments to businesses linked to council or staff.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  I request, under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: A list of all payments made by the Town of Deseronto from January 1, 2025 to the date of this request, showing for each payment the date, the name of the payee, the amount, and the description or account it was charged to (for example, the cheque register, EFT register or accounts payable listing). An electronic copy, such as a spreadsheet, is preferred.

  Copy the wording

• The water and sewer agreement with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte

  The 2000 agreement was due to end in November 2025. These records would show what applies now, what the MBQ pays, and what the joint board has decided. Related question: What is happening with the water and sewer agreement with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, which was due to run out in November 2025?.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  I request, under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: Records about the cost-sharing agreement between the Town of Deseronto and the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte for water and sewer services: any extension, amendment, renewal or new agreement (signed or draft, excluding solicitor-client advice); the agendas and minutes of the Water & Sewer Liaison Board from January 1, 2025 to the date of this request; and, for 2023, 2024 and 2025, the yearly calculation of the MBQ's share under Schedules B to E of the agreement and the invoices sent to the MBQ.

  Copy the wording

• The plant operator's contract and extra charges

  The books show a yearly contract fee plus overtime and capital charges with no operating budget. The contract and invoices would show what each covers. Related question: Why do the water and sewer books show overtime and capital work from the plant operator that has no operating budget line?.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  I request, under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: The current operating agreement between the Town of Deseronto and the Ontario Clean Water Agency for the water and sewage plants, and all invoices from OCWA to the Town for 2025 and 2026 to the date of this request, showing for each invoice the date, amount, and whether it was charged to the contract fee, overtime, or a capital project, and the portion billed on to the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.

  Copy the wording

• Contracts awarded, and how

  The town's tenders page was empty and lists no results. A list of contracts shows who won work, for how much, and which purchases skipped tendering.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  I request, under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: A list of contracts and purchase orders of $10,000 or more awarded by the Town of Deseronto from January 1, 2024 to the date of this request, showing for each the supplier, the amount, the date, what was bought, and whether it was tendered, quoted or sole-sourced; and the current Procurement Policy.

  Copy the wording

• Council expense claims

  The yearly statements give one total for each member's conferences and mileage. The claims show what the money was spent on.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  I request, under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: Copies of the expense claims and supporting receipts for conferences, mileage, out-of-town meetings and any other reimbursements paid to members of Deseronto council in 2024 and 2025. Personal information such as home addresses or banking details can be removed.

  Copy the wording

The wording is a starting point, not legal advice. Narrow the dates if the town says a request is too broad or too costly.

1. Speak or write to council

   Ask the clerk to put you on a meeting agenda as a deputation (up to ten minutes), or write a letter to council. Each regular meeting also has a question period. Meetings are at 331 Main St. on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday (except July, August and December) at 6:30 pm.

2. Ask for the records

   Anyone can ask the town for its records under freedom-of-information law. The wording for useful requests is above.

3. Integrity Commissioner

   For complaints that a council member broke the Code of Conduct or the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. The town has appointed an Integrity Commissioner from ADR Chambers. Complaints must be in writing, on the town's form, with a sworn affidavit, and go through the clerk.

4. Closed meeting investigator

   Anyone can ask for an investigation into whether council followed the closed-meeting rules. The town uses the AMO Local Authority Services program, which uses a lawyer from Aird Berlis. The request goes to the clerk. On June 24, 2026 council asked staff to find out whether Hastings County will run a group tender for this service.

5. Ontario Ombudsman

   Looks into complaints about how Ontario municipalities treat people and run their affairs, once local options are used up. Free.

6. Police

   If you have evidence that a crime such as fraud or theft has happened, report it to police. Questions and concerns belong with the options above; evidence of a crime belongs with police.