Dear Residents:

We are near the end of 2025, and I have been here a week shy of two months.  Here is an update on work accomplished so far and a partial task list in 2026.  I also wanted to address a potential misunderstanding about the length of my mandate.

For this update, I refer you to the November 12^th statement in which 23 issues needing attention were outlined.

Here is the update:

• 2026 budget: Was submitted on November 28
• Fire Smart Initiative: Launched in November
• Truck Lease: Still in play and I sent a separate statement on it last week
•  LED Signs: SYSRC bought the signs in 2024 for approximately $111,000 but received a government grant for 80% of the cost. Therefore, the net amount paid by SYSRC taxpayers was approximately $22,000. The signs were sold in November for $55,000.
• Land Assessment: Done in December and the appraised value of the land is $315,000
• Office Lease: Lease was reduced by $3000 a month starting in January 2026 and the furniture was moved out of the council room and stored in a spare office
• Planet System: We were overpaying for our needs and we changed the plan from $120/month to $10/month
• Robby’s Road Bridge repair closure: DTI was planning on closing the bridge from 9:00 to 3:00 every day and we got that changed to the bridge opening every 15 minutes
• Fire exit roads Charters settlement and Covered Bridge Estates: Still in play, a separate update is coming this week
• Gas tax account: Received confirmation that the $180,000 in the account would not be taken away due to lack of a strategic plan. The next council will have to deal with that
• Forensic audit: More information will come in January
• Human resources reviews: There was a three-part work plan on this one. The first was about determining the need for part time, temporary clerical help, the second was for determining if there was a need for full time temporary help and the last was to design the human resources complement on a go-forward basis for when the next council is in office.  I am expecting the first part to be completed early in the New Year and will report the results as well as post the full report at that time.
• Review of and drafting of policies and procedures: Will be done in 2026 and it will include an overhaul of the financial and accounting system
• By-laws review: Will be done in 2026
• Rural Planning work: Work is ongoing and there will be public consultation in the late winter
• Strategic Plan: Will recommend that the next council do one
• Garbage contract: Procurement process will begin this spring but will be completed by the next council
• Contracts: There are no other contracts to be renewed before the next council is elected
• Briefing material for the next council: Work will be done in the Spring and it will include:
  • an end of the supervisory mandate report with recommendations to the new council on a number of strategic issues (this will be shared with the residents)
  • a briefing binder
  • presentations and options to council on having effective communications with residents given the rural nature of the community and access issues with the internet

In addition to the items above, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) with the Anglican Church on the warming center was signed and a draft MOU was sent to the Rusagonis Recreation Center on the same topic.

I noticed that when the budget was released, there were concerns in the Facebook comments about my term extending past the swearing in of the next council.  This came from an entry in the budget that had supervisor fees for seven months in 2026. I wanted to confirm that my supervisory mandate will end the minute that the new council is sworn in.  Once they are sworn in, they will be completely in charge.

The work track at SYSRC is going to be as follows:

• Continue to work as the Supervisor until the swearing in of the new Council
• Continue to work as the administrator and clerk until sometimes in April
• Hire a full time Clerk/Administrator on an interim basis during April with the term ending end of June or end of July
• Transfer all of the administrative duties to the Clerk/Administrator, but I will be the one signing checks and anything else that a Mayor would be approving until the end of the supervisory mandate
• The Clerk/Administrator will oversee the preparation and conduct of the swearing in of the next council
• The Clerk/Administrator will work for the council until the end of his/her interim term which will be end of June or July
• Council to either extend the term of that Clerk/Administrator or recruit a permanent one
• The only duties to be performed by me for the next council will presenting the final supervisory report and providing advice and transition work as they require and demand

I hope this addresses your concerns about my term.

Don Ferguson
SYS Supervisor