My name’s Kevin LeGris. I’m 45, and at the heart of everything I do, I’m a husband and a dad to six great kids, from 10 up to 22. I grew up in and around Admaston‑Bromley, and about twenty years ago I bought an old 1800s farmhouse on Highway 132. I’ve been fixing it up ever since. This community has always been home for me and my family.

I’ve spent the last 12 years serving on municipal council here in Admaston/Bromley. Over that time, I’ve had the chance to take on a number of roles — Deputy Mayor, Chair of Community Services, Chair of Waste Services, and now Chair of Protective Services. Each role has given me a different perspective on how our township works and what our residents need.

For the past 23 years, I’ve worked in Chalk River at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. I started out as a Nuclear Operator, moved into Supervision, then became a Section Head and later a Project Leader. Today, I’m a Facility Authority responsible for the safe, regulatory compliant operation and decommissioning of a number of licensed nuclear facilities. It’s been a long path with a lot of responsibility, and it’s shaped how I approach problem‑solving, leadership, and accountability. I’m also internationally certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) through the Project Management Institute.

I stay involved in the community outside of work too. I volunteer as the treasurer for Renfrew Minor Baseball, and I’ve spent years as a coach, trainer, and umpire in hockey, baseball, softball, and soccer. I maintained the ice at the Admaston rink for several winters, and my wife and I ran a youth group out of the DACA Centre. I’ve always enjoyed being part of the activities that bring people together and give kids a chance to grow.

I plan to retire right here at home. I’ve got many years of service left to give, and a genuine desire to see this community continue to grow and flourish.

Why I Am Running for Mayor of Admaston/Bromley

Summary

I am running for mayor because I have watched our township — like many governments at every level — slowly decline. Taxes have increased while services have diminished. We have adopted policies that are unnecessarily complex, and we have spent money on things we do not need. It is time to return to a practical, rural approach to governance that reflects who we are.

Admaston/Bromley is not a big city, and we do not need a large bureaucracy. We are a small rural community where residents expect to know township staff, feel comfortable speaking with them, and receive reliable basic services. The rest, we accomplish together as a community.

Overall, my goals are to:

• Significantly reduce costs, primarily administrative

• Keep annual tax rate increases at or under the normal growth rate of 6%

• Find savings through shared services and the removal of administrative burdens

• Reduce the burdens and fees associated with complex or outdated policies

• Avoid significant reductions in services

• Significantly increase Reserves

• Reduce and eventually eliminate the use of borrowing

Reassessing Our Administrative Structure

Under previous leadership, the township adopted the CAO model, creating multiple high‑level executive positions. Given our size and complexity, I believe it is appropriate to investigate the advantages of returning to the traditional Clerk‑Treasurer model.

Reverting to this structure could:

• Reduce administrative costs by eliminating executive‑level positions

• Redirect savings into essential infrastructure

• Align our administration with the historical and practical standard for rural Ontario

• Support succession planning through the Clerk‑Treasurer and Deputy Clerk‑Treasurer roles

This model has served rural municipalities effectively for decades and reflects the realities of a small administrative team.

Reviewing and Simplifying Discretionary Policies

I intend to conduct a full review of all discretionary policies to ensure they are practical, necessary, and cost‑effective.

Several policies stand out as needing immediate attention:

Chicken Bylaw

The current bylaw was required to allow residents with less than two hectares to keep chickens, but it requires registration, fees, and township oversight — creating unnecessary administrative burden and liability. I would seek to replace it with a simpler, no‑fee policy that still protects neighbours and property standards.

Food Truck Bylaw

This bylaw requires registration and fees but provides no meaningful benefit. Food trucks are already governed by provincial regulations, and municipalities are not required to have a local bylaw. I would explore revoking it entirely.

Dog Tag Program

This program is outdated. With modern technology and social media, the process is redundant and no longer cost‑effective. I would move to eliminate the administrative burden and associated costs.

Waste Services: A Needed Revisit

Our recent waste policy changes have produced mixed results.

The Good

Waste volume has decreased by more than 80% so far this calendar year — an impressive improvement.

The Challenge

The costs of operating our transfer stations and landfill are largely fixed. While waste volume dropped, revenue dropped by the same 80%, creating a significant shortfall.

The Path Forward

The next council will need to address this loss of revenue. There are no ideal alternatives identified at this time. Options I intend to explore include:

• Returning some or all costs to the tax roll, potentially removing the bag-tag policy

• Increasing per‑bag fees to better reflect the cost of waste disposal

• Reducing landfill operating costs, potentially through reduced hours or closing one or both transfer stations

• Exploring alternative solutions entirely:

  • Contracting out waste services, with our reduced waste production this option may now be feasible.

  • Community‑controlled and monitored dumpsters instead of transfer stations, increasing access while reducing overall costs.

This will require careful analysis, community input, and a commitment to maintaining desired services while protecting taxpayers.

Roads

At the centre of everything in Admaston/Bromley are the roads — likely the single largest and most important service the township provides. I plan to review the current capital plan and work with council and staff to determine where we can find significant long‑term savings without a major reduction in service. This may include:

• Returning some lesser‑travelled roads to gravel

• Not winter‑maintaining some even lesser‑travelled roads

• Reworking winter staff hours to significantly reduce overtime during winter events without sacraficing safety

• Investigating contracting out winter control

Shared Services

Shared services have been a topic of discussion for many years, certainly before I started as a municipal councillor 12 years ago. This is where we work with neighbouring townships to share services and reduce costs, as we currently do with our Chief Building Official (CBO). Neither Admaston/Bromley nor Horton can justify a full‑time CBO, so we share the position, each contributing approximately half.

Other shared services I would be interested in exploring include:

Staffing

Sometimes there simply isn’t work available due to weather, breakdowns, or other reasons. I would like to see a policy that allows us to work with other municipalities to keep staff productive. Likewise, if we know we have a large job coming up and could use extra help, I would like the option of bringing in staff from neighbouring municipalities. This could reduce labour costs for both sides.

There may be opportunity to share other high cost positions similar to the CBO such as:  Fire, Finance, By-Law, Emergency Management.   Another alternative is mentioned in the County Section, below.

Equipment

We often find ourselves wishing we had equipment we don’t own, while at the same time having equipment that sits idle for long periods. This imbalance is common across municipalities, and it leads to unnecessary costs and under‑used assets.

It’s important to work closely with neighbouring municipalities, sharing information about what equipment each of us has available and being open to borrowing or renting what we need. When we coordinate, we reduce duplication, lower capital expenses, and make better use of the resources we already have.

We do not all need to own one of everything. A cooperative approach allows each municipality to access the right equipment at the right time, without carrying the full cost of ownership.

A Few Less Shiny Things

A staff member recently commented that Admaston/Bromley was “the envy of every municipality in Renfrew County” regarding a specific piece of equipment. That remark made me reflect on our approach to purchasing. We do not need to be the envy of every municipality, nor is that a practical goal.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t own good, reliable equipment. It means we need to look carefully at our actual needs versus our wants, and make sure our purchasing decisions are based on necessity, value, and long‑term benefit — not on acquiring the most impressive or enviable items. Thoughtful, needs‑based purchasing ensures we invest responsibly and maintain the right tools for the work we actually perform.

Use Technology Appropriately

The use of technology in this township is complex. Many residents prefer to complete tasks online from home at whatever time suits them, while many others value face‑to‑face interaction at the township office. We need to strike a balance that supports both groups: those who want online options should have access to them, and those who prefer in‑person service should continue to receive it without disruption.

I have no interest in forcing residents to own or use a phone, tablet, or computer to access township services. As with our current election process, online options should remain optional. When residents choose to use online services, it can reduce administrative workload and free staff to better assist those who prefer traditional, in‑person methods.

At the same time, any technology investment must be cost‑effective. I am not interested in purchasing systems or services that increase overall costs or add administrative burden. Technology should simplify processes, not complicate them.

I also believe we need a thorough review of our current technology and software use, assessing both cost and benefit. The world is changing quickly, and new tools emerge every day. It’s important to ensure we are using the right tools for the right reasons, and that they genuinely improve service delivery for residents.

County

I plan to view the County much the same way I view Admaston/Bromley: there are efficiencies to be gained, and we simply need to identify them.

Taking Shared Services to the next Level

Across Renfrew County, each lower‑tier municipality is required to perform many of the same tasks. This results in duplicated effort, inconsistent processes, and unnecessary use of resources. In many cases, the workload does not justify full‑time positions, which leads to staff wearing multiple hats just to meet statutory requirements.  

I believe the County could take on several of these roles using specialized staff who can be contracted out to the lower tiers. For example, instead of every municipality employing its own Chief Building Official, the County could employ one CBO along with a small team of Building Inspectors. Municipalities could then contract those services as needed. This model could be applied to a number of other positions where the responsibilities are similar across municipalities and where full‑time staffing is difficult to justify.

The goal is not to remove local control, but to reduce duplication, improve consistency, and make better use of taxpayer resources.

This same concept could be applied to specialized equipment.

Call To Action

This moment is not about any one person — it’s about all of us and the responsibility we share in shaping our community’s future. We need to stay informed, talk openly with one another, and make thoughtful choices about the people we believe can best serve our municipality.

If you value the principles I’ve spoken about, I encourage you to discuss them with your neighbours, friends, and family. Strong communities are built when people engage, communicate, and take an active role in local decision‑making.

Participate in conversations, ask questions, and share your perspective. When we eventually see meaningful change and stronger financial accountability, you’ll know you played a part in moving our community forward.

Thank you for your consideration. My commitment remains the same:

 A Voice For This Generation And The Next!

Feel free to contact me at anytime and if it's urgent, call me.

• Cell: 613-312-9361 - Call or Text

• Email: legrisk@gmail.com

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Please feel free to send me questions, I will post them along with my stance on the subject.