Page 8 FOUR SURVEYS OPEN, RUSSELL TOWNSHIP WANTS INPUT
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VOLUME 41 • NO. 04 • 6 PAGES • EMBRUN, ON • JULY 22 2026
N EWS MIKE TARNOWSKI SEEKS THIRD TERM, FIRST AS MAYOR GABRIELLE VINETTE gabrielle.vinette@eap.on.ca
Mike Tarnowski, mayor of Russell Township, is running for a third term on council, his first as a candidate for mayor. First elected as a councillor in 2018, then re-elected in 2022, Tarnowski stepped into the mayor's role two years ago and says he wants to see the municipality's biggest-ever investment, the new Recrea- tion Complex, through its first years of operation. "We've had a good run over the last eight years," Tarnowski said. "We're now coming up to eight years. We've done a lot of great work within the municipality." He credited his wife's recent retirement, along with his own decision to retire from his position at Algonquin College when he became mayor, with giving him the family support needed to take on a third term. Managing Growth While Preserving Community Character Asked how he plans to balance growth and development with preserving the township's character, Tarnowski said the municipality's growth has been fiscally posi- tive but has also brought real pressures, particularly around traffic as new residents move in and infrastructure is upgraded in Russell and Embrun. "On one side of the balance sheet, it's very positive," he said. "An increased tax base allows us to not have as much pressure on the residents... And on the other side, the increased traffic, some of the small characteristics of a small town are changing a little bit." He said the municipality is working through planning and with local organizations to preserve the community spirit Russell Township is known for while managing that growth responsibly. Collaboration and fiscal accountability Tarnowski said stepping into the mayor's role after six years as a councillor under longtime mayor Pierre Larue wasn't a major transition in terms of familiarity with the township's major projects and strategic goals, since he had been closely involved in developing them as a councillor. The bigger adjustment, he said, was the shift to a full-time role as the municipality's spokesperson. He pointed to collaboration with neigh- bouring municipalities as a defining priority of his time as mayor. He cited the support letters from all seven other municipalities in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell that helped secure a $10-million provincial grant from Premier Doug Ford for the Recreation Complex, as well as an ongoing wastewater project being deve- loped jointly with The Nation Municipality, which is facing similar capacity constraints. "Rather than each individually trying to get solutions, we're pulling our resources
Mike Tarnowski points to collaboration with neighbouring municipalities and fiscal accountability as the hallmarks of his time in office, with the Recreation Complex opening set to anchor his next term. (Photo provided) together," he said.
A call to get involved Tarnowski closed with an appeal for residents to participate in the upcoming election, regardless of who they support. "The municipal government is the one that impacts their day-to-day lives the most," he said, encouraging residents to stay informed, ask candidates questions, and vote. "That's something we need to be proud of, that we have the ability to do that, and we can never - we should never - take that for granted."
better strategy or better idea, I'm open to that. I love good discussion, good debate, with the idea to always be open for doing whatever's best for our community, not just for today, but for generations to come." As a personal measure of the township's progress, Tarnowski pointed to his son's decision to move back to Embrun with his wife, who is expecting, and buy a home there. "That says a lot to me that we are doing something right in the way that our community is developing," he said.
Fiscal accountability was the other pillar Tarnowski highlighted, describing himself as fiscally conservative and pointing to the municipality's asset management policy, under which funds are set aside for the replacement and maintenance costs of new assets, such as a fire truck costing over half a million dollars, as they come online. "We're not 100% balanced on our asset management policy yet, but we are striving very strongly to be able to be fully self- sufficient in that perspective," he said. He also noted the municipality received close to $26 million in grants this past year, which he attributed to close collaboration with the province and the township's MPP and MP. Why he should be re-elected Asked why residents should choose him to represent them again, Tarnowski pointed to his experience, eight years on council, including two as mayor, along with years of community volunteering before he was first elected. He also cited his Master's in Business Administration as a strength on fiscal mat- ters, and his background as an academic, including six years as academic chair at Algonquin College, as shaping his open- ness to other perspectives. "I'm always willing to learn, and I will be the first one to admit if I'm wrong," he said. "If I believe that someone has a
Horaire de collecte des ordures ménagères et du recyclage Congé Civique 2026 À l’occasion du Congé Civique du lundi 3 août 2026, la collecte des ordures et du recyclage seront reportés d’une journée pour l’ensemble du territoire. Les services seront effectués du mardi au samedi. Waste and recycling collection Civic Holiday 2026 Note that collection services of waste and recycling for Civic Holiday, on August 3 th 2026, will be postponed by one day for all areas. Services will be performed from Tuesday to Saturday.
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