MEAGAN McLEAN • CANDIDATE FOR TRENT HILLS COUNCIL • WARD 4

WELL, hello neighbour.

If you came here looking for the Meagan McLean running for Trent Hills Council and instead found a website about morally questionable women and fictional bad decisions: you're still in the right place.

TRENT HILLS • WARD 4 • 2026

01 — AN EXPLANATION

SO, YOU FOUND my author website.

Let's not make it weirder than it is.

If you landed here looking for Meagan McLean, candidate for Trent Hills Council — Ward 4 , you are, in fact, in the right place.

This is normally my author website. I write fiction, take a lot of photos, read an unreasonable number of books, and apparently I also decided 2026 was a good year to run for municipal council.

So before you start wondering what any of that has to do with budgets, bylaws, infrastructure or municipal government, here's the normal-person explanation.

WHO I actually am.

Ward 4 is home. It's where my family lives, where my son is growing up, and where I've built a life I care very deeply about.

I've been a resident of Ward 4 for the past nine years. I'm a wife, a mom, a friend, a neighbour, and someone who genuinely cares about the community we've chosen to call home.

Professionally, I work directly with local governments across North America. Today, I work in municipal water compliance technology. Before that, I worked with municipalities on grants management and strategic planning.

That has given me a front-row seat to how local governments actually operate: budgeting, infrastructure, regulatory requirements, long-term planning, public services, and the reality of trying to accomplish a lot with limited staff and limited resources.

It doesn't mean I have all the answers. I don't. What it does mean is that I'm comfortable asking questions, digging into complicated issues, listening to the people who understand them, and doing the work required before forming an opinion.

02 — WHY I'M RUNNING

SOMETHING different.

“Something different” doesn't mean change simply for the sake of change. It means a different approach to leadership.

I believe a councillor's first job is to be a voice for their community.

I want residents to feel like their councillor is accessible, willing to listen, willing to ask questions, and willing to change their mind when the facts support it.

I believe in open and honest communication, listening to feedback, understanding an issue before making a decision, supporting our local economy, protecting what makes Trent Hills special, and planning thoughtfully for our future.

I won't agree with everyone. Nobody in public office ever will. But I will listen, I will do my homework, and I'll be willing to explain how and why I reached a decision.

“How many people ever get a chance to do something that they really believe in?”

— Terry Fox

03 — WHERE I'LL FOCUS MY ENERGY

MY PRIORITIES.

The things I believe deserve attention.

Protecting our community & environment

Trent Hills' natural surroundings, rural character, and sense of community are a big part of why people choose to live here. Decisions about development, infrastructure and local services should consider their long-term impact on both the municipality and the community around us.

Thoughtful growth

Growth is natural and can bring new families, businesses and services into our community. The challenge is making progress without losing the character, heritage and small-town feel that make Trent Hills special.

Listening — consistently and openly

Representation requires listening to people whose opinions may be different from your own, understanding the issue in front of you, and making decisions based on the needs of the community.

Modernizing outdated bylaws

Some of Trent Hills' bylaws no longer reflect how people live today. They should be reviewed thoughtfully, with public input, and updated where practical while respecting neighbours, safety and the character of the municipality.

Fiscal responsibility

Public money deserves careful decisions. That means transparency about how tax dollars are spent and a focus on long-term value for the community.

Meagan McLean dressed as a ghost on a skateboard in Warkworth

AND THEN THERE'S THE OTHER ME.

Things get slightly less municipal from here.

04 — WHEN I'M NOT DOING THE SERIOUS STUFF

YES, I ALSO write novels.

People are allowed to contain multitudes.

When I'm not working or spending time with my family, I'm usually reading, wandering around with my camera or drone, or writing.

I started writing seriously in 2025 after spending years convincing myself I shouldn't. Earlier this year, I signed with a literary agent, which still feels slightly surreal.

My books are dark, messy and very female-driven. I write complicated women, found family, rage, relationships, morally questionable decisions, and what happens when women stop behaving the way everyone expects them to.

Probably don't use the novels as my municipal policy platform.

If that's your thing, you can wander through the rest of this website. If it isn't, that's okay too. I promise reading my books isn't a prerequisite for voting in Ward 4.

AND SINCE YOU'RE ALREADY HERE...

You can find my books right here in Warkworth.

Copies of my novels are available at Spencer Books on Main Street in Warkworth. So if curiosity gets the better of you, you can investigate my questionable fictional decisions while supporting a local independent bookstore.

If you decide to read my books and have specific triggers, please check the content warnings first. They're there for reasons.

05 — THE IMPORTANT PART

THERE'S NO campaign version of me.

I am exactly who I am: a mom, a wife, a municipal-tech nerd. An author. A photographer. A person with too many tattoos, too many books, and a tendency to research things approximately 400% further than necessary.

I'm also someone who genuinely loves this community and believes I could contribute something useful to it.

That's why I'm running.

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