Council

Who decides, and how you can hold them to account

Perth East is run by an elected council of 7 people. They set the budget, approve big purchases and hire the senior staff who run the town day to day.

Current council

• MayorRhonda EhgoetzMayor@pertheast.ca
• Deputy MayorHugh McDermidDeputyMayor@pertheast.ca
• Councillor, South Easthope WardAndrew MacAlpineSouthEasthope@pertheast.ca
• Councillor, North Easthope WardBob McMillanNortheasthope@pertheast.ca
• Councillor, Mornington WardJeremy Mathesonmornington@pertheast.ca
• Councillor, Milverton WardJerry SmithMilverton@pertheast.ca
• Councillor, Ellice WardAmanda Brodhagen

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

• Yes
  Budgets posted online

  The 2026 Mayor's Budget package, staff operating and capital slides and a synopsis are posted, with budget packages back to 2016. The Township says the 2027 budget process is beginning, but we found no 2027 dates. Source

• Yes
  Audited financial statements

  The 2025 statements carry a clean opinion ("present fairly") from Seebach & Company dated July 14, 2026. The 2024 statements carry an opinion dated July 15, 2025. Both are posted, with statements back to 2012. Source

• Partly
  Council pay statement (Municipal Act s.284)

  Statements for 2024 and 2025 are posted as PDFs. The text layer of the 2025 table does not keep names beside their amounts, so we did not copy any member's pay into this pack. Source

• Partly
  Meeting videos

  The Township says meetings are live streamed on YouTube. We did not check how long recordings are kept. Source

• Unknown
  Agendas and minutes

  The Township's meetings page loads agendas and minutes from its own system. We did not read minutes for this pack. Source

• Township of Perth East on YouTube

  The Township says council meetings are live streamed on its YouTube channel. We did not check which recordings are kept.

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

• The OPP's 2026 policing cost statement

  The budget used an estimate at the 11% cap and said it would be adjusted once the OPP's costing arrived. Related question: Why does policing account for most of the 2026 tax increase, and what happens if the real OPP bill is lower than the estimate?.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the Township's 2026 policing cost statement or billing summary received from the Ontario Provincial Police, and any staff report or memo comparing it with the amount in the 2026 budget.

  Copy the wording

• Investment holdings and income report for 2025

  Investment income was $1,236,333 against a budget of $328,418. Related question: Why does the 2026 budget count $115,000 of investment interest when 2025 interest on investments was $766,696 by October?.

  Show the request wordingHide the wording

  Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the Township's schedule of investments held at December 31, 2025, and the most recent investment report to Council, showing interest earned and gains or losses on sales for 2025.

  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. Integrity Commissioner

   The Township says Council appointed an Integrity Commissioner on December 20, 2022 (the Township's page names the person). We did not find any Integrity Commissioner reports on the pages we read.

2. Closed meeting investigator

   The Township has engaged a Municipal Closed Meeting Investigator and posts the complaint steps. We did not find any investigator reports on the page we read.

3. Mayoral decisions (strong mayor powers)

   The Township lists each written Mayoral Decision, including decisions to approve by-laws after council meetings.