Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Read by hand, Oct 2026Details
This is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date. Check the sources, and tell us if you spot a mistake. What this site can't tell youRead by hand. We read Merrickville-Wolford's own documents for this site in October 2026; the Sources page lists which ones. The comparisons with other places still come from the Province's yearly reports.
Council
Who decides, and how you can hold them to account
Merrickville-Wolford 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
- MayorMichael Cameron
- Deputy Mayor, Merrickville WardAnne Barr
- Councillor, Merrickville WardMargaret Gural
- Councillor, Wolford WardStephen Ireland
- Councillor, Wolford WardRonnie Maitland
Names and official email addresses from the town's council page. None of the members lists a public social media account there.
How open is Merrickville-Wolford?
What a resident can find online without asking, as of October 7, 2026.
- YesBudgets posted online
The Budget and Finance page links budgets for 2020 to 2025, a 2026 budget presentation, a 2026 capital budget summary, and the 2026 budget by-laws. Parts of the 2026 operating and capital budget documents are pictures of pages with no text, so we could not read them. Source
- YesAudited financial statements posted
Statements for 2020 to 2025 are posted. The 2025 statements carry a clean opinion dated June 26, 2026, and the 2024 statements a clean opinion dated July 28, 2025. Source
- PartlyCouncil pay and expenses (s. 284)
The Council Remuneration and Expenses page lists yearly statements for 2021 to 2024. We did not find one for 2025 when we read the page on October 7, 2026. Source
- YesMeeting agendas, minutes and video
The Agendas and Minutes page has a tab for each year from 2022 to 2026 and links the Village's YouTube channel for recordings. We did not check each meeting for a posted set of minutes. Source
- YesIntegrity Commissioner reports
Reports released to Council and the public are listed from March 2024 to July 14, 2026. Source
Where the town speaks for itself
Merrickville-Wolford's official channels, as linked from its own website. Council members may also post on their own pages; we link only to official municipal channels.
- Village of Merrickville-Wolford on YouTube
The Village says all council meetings are livestreamed on its YouTube channel, and links past recordings from its Agendas and Minutes page. We did not check how far back the recordings go.
Ask for the records
Anyone can ask the town for its records under Ontario's Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). You do not have to say why. Here is how it works, and the wording for the records that would answer the questions on this site.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
2025 budget-to-actual report by account
The audited budget column does not match the operating budget Council adopted. An account-level comparison would show where the $655,181 gap sits. Related question: Why were 2025 expenses $655,181 above the budget column in the audited statements?.
Show the request wordingHide the wording
Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the Village's 2025 year-end budget-to-actual report by account, on the same basis as the operating budget Council adopted on January 27, 2025, and any staff report to Council on the 2025 operating result.
2026 capital projects funding plan
The posted material lists project costs but not how each is paid for. Related question: How will the 2026 road and fire truck projects be paid for when the capital reserve was down to $71,155?.
Show the request wordingHide the wording
Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the document or spreadsheet showing, for each project in the Village's 2026 capital budget, the cost, grant funding, reserve funding and any borrowing, and the reserve balances Council was shown when it adopted the 2026 budget.
The wording is a starting point, not legal advice. Narrow the dates if the town says a request is too broad or too costly.
How to raise a concern
From the gentlest step to the most serious. Start at the top.
Integrity Commissioner
The Village says Ellen Fry of ADR Chambers Inc. was appointed Integrity Commissioner on October 27, 2025. The page lists the Commissioner's investigation reports from March 2024 onward.
Closed meeting investigator
The Village says its closed meeting investigator is Local Authority Services until December 22, 2026, and the Ontario Ombudsman from December 23, 2026. We did not find any closed meeting investigation reports on the page.
Registry of declarations of interest
The Village says it keeps the registry the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act requires, and posts each declaration as a document on its Mayor and Council page. We did not use the declarations.