Pontiac council report
Sewage work underway, possible road construction
Mo Laidlaw
Sixteen members of the public attended the regular meeting of 13 July 2004.
Bills for sewage works
The Quyon sewage works is under construction. A resolution was passed for a temporary loan of $3 million from the Caisse Populaire, and another to pay $276,988 to Marchand et fils, as the first payment for the lagoon. Grants for 85% of the cost can be claimed from Municipal Affairs when bills reach $1 million.
Roads, trails
Charlotte L’Écuyer MNA, has asked the minister of Transport for $200,000 to connect Terry-Fox road to Townline, to make a through road between Mountain road and highway 148. This is along Pontiac’s townline with Gatineau and Chelsea, who would presumably contribute to the project. Several councillors questioned whether this was a high priority, and were told that Mme L’Écuyer picked the project.
Council voted unanimously to make the bicycle path a municipal and regional priority.
Following another fatal accident on highway 148, it was suggested that a flashing light be installed at the Egan/highway 148/Wolf Lake Road intersection, and possibly there should be a lower speed limit on this section of highway 148. Councillor Jim Coyle suggested that council asks the MRC des Collines if the municipality can borrow a sign that informs drivers of their speed and the speed limit, to reduce speeding drivers.
Ditches
Madeleine Carpentier handed council copies of a letter from her engineer, André Plante, to the municipality's engineer, Marc Drouin of Fondex Outaouais, and asked for signatures acknowledging receipt, as the letter is not noted in earlier council minutes. The letter states that in Mme Carpentier’s area, “many owners have altered ditches without taking account of the rights of other owners. Mme Carpentier holds the municipality responsible for this imbroglio, and past and future damage to her property. She asks for a drainage correction plan for the whole sector, based on the original drainage flow.” Mme Carpentier has been trying to have the drainage corrected since the four-lane highway was built.
Recycling
Jean-Claude Carisse is upset by the constantly overflowing recycling bins at Breckenridge fire station. Councillor Larose confirmed that material left outside the bins is picked up by the garbage truck crew and taken to the dump, unless the bins have been emptied in the meantime. “The MRC has not yet decided when recycling pickup will start. The municipality does not want to buy another bin, with pickup expected to start soon.”
Town planning
Laurie MacKechnie, who lives near Quyon, was named as the new member of the town planning committee (CCU), for a two year term. In answer to a question from the public Mayor Campbell explained that council aims for representation of all sectors in the municipality on the CCU.
Council supported four requests for a cadastre and two requests to build a single residence on farmland.
Other business
Doreen Sigouin had questions about the delay in moving mailboxes on Tremblay, and how many civic number posts remain to be installed (600). She has had to phone the contractor to get the grass cut before practices at the Luskville soccer field. Mr. Coyle confirmed that the contract specifies the length at which the grass should be cut, rather than “once a week”.
As usual, council authorized payment of invoices and expenses for the previous month, and acknowledged receipt of various reports, correspondence and documents.
At special meetings in June, council passed motions to inform the MRC des Collines 911 dispatch that the Pontiac firefighters are not specialized or equipped for rescues in Gatineau Park or on the Ottawa River. Although willing to help, they should not be called on as first-response for such rescues.