ALL CANDIDATES ARE IN RANDOM ORDER
Election Date: October 26, 2026 Voting period runs from October 13th to 26th
Ward 1 : North Monaghan Ward 2: Cavan Ward 3: Millbrook
VOTE ONLINE OR BY TELEPHONE OCT 13TH, 2026 AT 10:00 A.M. UNTIL OCT 26TH, 2026 AT 8:00 P.M.
Julia Herrick:
I’m a resident of Cavan Monaghan, a Red Seal 309A Master Electrician, an educator, and a small business owner. I’ve worked on major construction and infrastructure projects, and my career has revolved around solving problems.
Being an electrician makes you very solution-oriented. You’re presented with a problem, and you figure out what is causing it, look at the options, and come up with a specific solution that actually works. I’d be a pretty bad electrician if someone called me with a problem and my answer was, “We should look into that,” or I gave them a list of general ideas and walked away.
That’s also how I would approach issues in Cavan Monaghan.
If residents tell me their property taxes are becoming unaffordable, I want to know where the money is going, why we’re consistently going overbudget, and what specifically we can change. If we have an infrastructure problem, I want to know the cause, the options, the cost of each option, and which one makes the most sense long-term.
My experience on large construction projects has given me a strong background in infrastructure, planning, and budgets. Teaching and developing government-approved curriculum has also required me to understand legislation, regulations and how government requirements actually work.
And I have specific plans, not just general campaign promises. For seniors, I want to establish a volunteer network of local tradespeople to help with small safety and accessibility improvements that can help people remain in their homes longer, along with a community check-in program during severe weather/power outages. For families and youth, I want more affordable recreational opportunities and better use of the facilities we already pay for. I want to address safety concerns on our roads, particularly in areas where families and children are walking and cycling. I also want to introduce a Skilled Trades Day where local youth can actually try different trades, meet tradespeople and learn about apprenticeship and career opportunities.
I don’t have a political background, I have a problem-solving background.
I’m not running because I think I have all the answers. I’m running because I know how to find answers, ask the right questions, bring in the right expertise when needed, and turn problems into actual solutions.
That’s what I’ve spent my career doing.
Jaccob Burnett:
Cavan Monaghan is my home and I believe our Township is at an important point in its future. We are growing, costs are increasing, and the decisions made today will shape our communities for decades. Through my conversations with residents across the Township, I have heard a desire for positive change and a municipal government that is accessible, account-able and focused on delivering value for its residents.
I am running for Mayor to bring accessible, accountable and practical leadership to the Township, protect taxpayers, improve municipal services and ensure residents have a meaningful voice in the decisions affecting their communities.
As a third generation Millbrook resident, I have a deep appreciation for the history, rural character and sense of community that makes Cavan Monaghan unique. My professional background includes policing and public service, along with 14 years of hands on business, sales and commercial negotiation experience. My leadership experience also includes several years with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, where I served as Warrant Officer First Class and Squadron Commander.
If elected, one of my priorities will be ensuring residents receive better value for their property tax dollars. I will challenge unnecessary spending, review municipal spending and contracts for efficiencies, pursue available government funding and explore new sources of municipal revenue to reduce pressure on residential taxpayers.
I believe growth must be managed responsibly. New development should contribute its appropriate share toward the infrastructure it requires, while we protect our historic buildings, architectural heritage, rural landscapes and the individual character of our communities. I also want to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with growth, support local businesses and economic development, address downtown Millbrook parking, explore opportunities to expand access to local medical services, and examine ways to reduce pressure from rising water and wastewater costs.
Most importantly, I believe municipal government should be accessible to the people it represents. Residents deserve clear communication, responsible decision making and the opportunity to be heard.
Over the coming weeks, I look forward to continuing to meet residents throughout Cavan Monaghan, listening to your concerns and discussing the future of our Township.
Responsible Growth. Strong Communities. Accountable Government.
Jaccob A. Burnett, Candidate for Mayor- Township of Cavan Monaghan 2026 Municipal Election (905) 431-7757
Jim Chaplin:
As a 50 year resident of Cavan Monaghan with 8 years previous Council experience, having served on boards and executives of many community and business organizations and having a proven record of standing up for what matters to the ratepayers of this community, I feel I am qualified to serve as Mayor.
My decision was not taken lightly but made with much deliberation. A decision influenced by what many have expressed as a lack of communication and accountability and by the fact that some citizens expressed their belief in my ability.
It is humbling to have others express faith in me and if elected I will do my absolute best to live up to their expectations. There will be a lot of challenges over the next four years and I’m willing to tackle them as a full time Mayor.
There are many wants and needs, like additional medical services, additional seniors housing and a varied activities program for all ages. This will require assistance from other levels of government and some private sectors. We can’t accomplish such projects on our own.
If elected Mayor it would be my intention to make some minor changes to the way Council conducts meetings and to engage more with the people we represent in order to improve communication and accountability. I feel we need to consult with the ratepayers of this township on major decisions.
We also need to engage those in the community that can assist Council in understanding the complexities of the challenges we will face.
Each part of our township has unique qualities that are important to our success. The historical aspect of Millbrook, the agricultural significance of the former Cavan and North Monaghan townships and the strong commercial and industrial base in North Monaghan are all important components of Cavan Monaghan.
My long history of community involvement and a genuine desire to make my community the best it can be has always been a driving force behind everything in which I have been involved.
As a business owner, Donna’s Pizza 1988 to 2002 and a freelance DJ for 50 years, while working at General motors, I have an understanding of business and labor issues.
As a graduate of Communication Arts from Durham College, founder of a community newspaper and a community columnist for the Peterborough Examiner I believe I have the ability to improve how Council communicates with the public.
Matt Graham:
I am running for re-election to continue working to improve and protect our com-munity. Below I want to review my commitments in 2022 and highlight what we’ve been able to accomplish under my leadership over the past 4 years.
I ran on a commitment to keep property tax increases below 3%. While many other communities have been imposing increases of 5 to 8%, our average annual tax increase is 3.1%. We have also increased our annual contribution to our Asset Replacement reserve every year to offset the costs of the future replacement of our infrastructure. I recognize the financial hardships facing residents and I want to continue to use your tax dollars efficiently and responsibly.
We’ve been very successful at obtaining funding and grants from higher levels of government. Peterborough County is investing in overdue improvements to County Road 10 with signalized intersections and a school crosswalk scheduled to be in place next year. We have also received more than $30million in provincial and federal funding for several infrastructure projects.
We’ve made a lot of progress, but there is more work to be done. On health care, we have assumed control over the existing medical centre from the volunteer board so this facility can continue to serve our residents. We established a dedicated reserve with $100,000 to be used to expand the healthcare services available to our community. The completion of the new Fire Hall and ambulance bay will improve emergency response times in our community.
New developments are providing more diverse housing and accessible units but we still need more seniors’ housing. I had hoped to have an announcement about a new seniors’ facility this summer, but with continued efforts I believe a new seniors’ housing development will be built in Cavan Monaghan very soon.
We are currently participating in a mandatory Provincial Facilitation imposed by the province at the city of Peterborough’s request. This facilitation is a discussion about regional growth over the next 100 years. Cavan Monaghan has invested in strategic growth plans and studies that prove what we can do inside our boundaries, and we have used our strong financial position to proactively create economic development opportunities. I am asking your support to continue to lead our community in these critical discussions.
It’s been an honour to serve this community. With your support, I look forward to continuing this challenging work.