Part 1: The Council Approves Firefighter Agreement and Debates Council Compensation — 06/23/2026
- PECConnect
- Jun 23
- 4 min read
The County Council met on June 23 with Mayor Steve Ferguson chairing the meeting. The evening began with a closed session focused on labour relations matters before council returned to open session and approved a significant agreement involving the County’s volunteer firefighters. From there, councillors moved through a mix of governance issues, community announcements, deputations, and a lengthy discussion about future council compensation.
View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>
Volunteer Firefighters Agreement Approved
The first major decision of the evening came immediately after council emerged from closed session.
Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and the Prince Edward County Volunteer Firefighters. The motion also authorized the execution of the agreement and dissolved the negotiating working group that had been involved in discussions. Council further directed that letters of appreciation be sent to members of the negotiating team in recognition of their work.
While details of the agreement were not discussed publicly because negotiations had occurred in closed session, the approval marked the conclusion of a lengthy process involving firefighter representation and municipal negotiations.
Motion Regarding Waring’s Creek Does Not Reach the Agenda
During announcements, Councillor Chris Braney introduced a notice of motion concerning Waring’s Creek, which he described as the County’s only cold-water creek and an environmentally sensitive watershed supporting species including brook trout and the endangered Blanding’s turtle. Braney argued that concerns existed regarding decisions surrounding development proposals in the watershed area and requested an investigation by the Chief Administrative Officer into what he described as irregularities in the approval process.
Because the motion was being introduced without prior notice, council first had to decide whether to waive procedural rules and add it to the agenda. Following discussion about whether staff would be prepared to address the matter that evening, council voted on waiving the rules. The vote failed, meaning the motion was not added to the agenda. Braney later clarified that the defeat did not prevent the issue from returning at a future meeting.
Canada Day Celebrations Across the County
Several councillors used the announcement portion of the meeting to promote upcoming community events.
Councillor Kate MacNaughton Ingalls-Dorfer highlighted Wellington’s Canada Day festivities, including live entertainment, fireworks, a parade, the Wellington Farmers’ Market, Rotary ribs, and other community activities scheduled for June 30 and July 1.
Councillor Janice Maynard promoted the annual Athol Recreation Hall Strawberry Social, noting that this year’s event would operate on a pay-what-you-can basis to encourage broad participation.
Councillors also recognized Canada Day programming planned in Picton, celebrated the success of the recent Bay of Quinte Pride Parade, and acknowledged fundraising efforts through the Relay for Life campaign, which raised more than $75,000 across the region.
New Notices of Motion Signal Future Debates
Councillor Phil St-Jean submitted two notices of motion for future consideration.
The first seeks reconsideration of a March council decision related to parking restrictions on Picton Main Street. The second requests a report on reinstating a two-thirds majority requirement for reconsidering council decisions. St-Jean argued that a higher threshold could help prevent repeated reconsideration of previously decided matters. Both items are expected to return to council in July.
“In the Key of Blue” Receives Official Recognition
One of the evening’s most positive moments came when Mayor Ferguson formally proclaimed July 3, 4, and 5, 2026 as “In the Key of Blue Days” in the County.
The proclamation recognized the locally created musical In the Key of Blue, a
production built around the music of Blue Rodeo and developed entirely within the County. Playwright and director Mike Trites addressed council, describing the project as a community effort involving local performers, musicians, volunteers, sponsors, and businesses.
Trites explained that proceeds from the production would support the Regent Theatre while showcasing local artistic talent. He emphasized that the musical grew from neighbourly connections during the pandemic and had become a county-wide collaboration involving more than 60 local participants. Council members praised the project’s cultural and economic contributions and wished the production success as it prepared for performances in both the County and other Ontario communities.
Council Code of Conduct Returns to the Spotlight
Another notable discussion came through a deputation from resident Paul Allen, who again urged council to strengthen its Code of Conduct, particularly regarding conflicts of interest. Allen argued that elected officials should be required to make decisions solely in the public interest and suggested that the County consider adopting provisions used in other Ontario municipalities.
Following Allen’s remarks, Council received the annual report from Integrity Commissioner David Boghosian. Boghosian reported that three complaints had been filed during his first full year serving the County, but all were dismissed without requiring full investigations. He also noted that councillors had frequently sought advice regarding conflict-of-interest matters and that public inquiries had been addressed before escalating into formal complaints.
The discussion also touched on upcoming provincial changes that may eventually create a standardized Code of Conduct for municipalities across Ontario. Those changes could significantly affect how municipal ethics rules are applied in future council terms.
Key Takeaways
Council approved a new Memorandum of Understanding with Prince Edward County Volunteer Firefighters, concluding a significant labour negotiation process.
A proposed investigation into Waring’s Creek development concerns was not added to the agenda, although the matter could return at a future meeting.
Council received updates on municipal ethics and accountability, including an Integrity Commissioner report and discussion about possible future changes to Ontario’s municipal Code of Conduct framework.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 3:39:43. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.
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