At a Special Meeting of Madawaska Valley Council on Monday, February 9th, 2026, Barry’s Bay resident Linda Neuman was formally sworn in as a member of Council, replacing the late Councillor Ernie Peplinski. Above: Watched by Mayor David Shulist (R) and Councillor Mary Blank (centre), newly-appointed Madawaska Valley Councillor Linda Neuman declares her oath of office. (Photo: YouTube/Madawaska Valley)
Councillor Neuman had promised The Current that she would answer some questions once she was sworn in, and she has now done so. She began her statement by saying, “I am looking forward to working with council for the next 9 months and I will do my best to make well informed decisions when it comes to governing our municipality and providing the necessary services to our residents. As with anything, when I commit to doing something, I give 100 percent to whatever I am doing.“
We asked her what she sees as her priorities on Council. Neuman replied that the imminent priority is the 2026 budget, but that she does not promise any specific item or stance. She told us, “I cannot promise I will do or offer anything because I don’t know what is coming to the table other than the budget in the last week of February. I will do my due diligence and my research when making my final decision on the budget.“
Councillor Neuman confirmed that she would be assuming the Committee responsibilities of the late Councillor Peplinski, namely Chair of Water and Wastewater, and that she will also be on the BIA Committee.
As it has been more than ten years since she last served on Council, we wondered just how much homework she envisaged in order to take on this role. She replied, “… only time will tell and I will give the issues my full attention.”