Pontiac council report - two pumper trucks ordered
Mo Laidlaw
Due to hot summer weather or vacations, only 14 residents attended the July 11, 2006 council meeting.
Leonard Lloyd of Quyon asked for updates on a toilet for boaters and the garbage situation at the Lion’s Club. Mayor Eddie McCann said that an outhouse has been ordered and admitted that the garbage needs to be emptied more often. Mr Lloyd again suggested that the two barns at the fair grounds are a fire hazard and should be torn down. Mr McCann agreed, but thinks the owners have acquired rights. On Lloyd’s request for more police presence at various points on the highway, Mr McCann said he will talk to the police, but the MRC des Collines police have a very large area to patrol and cannot stay in one place all the time. As for a turning lane at the Eardley-Masham road junction with highway 148, this is a decision for the ministry of Transport, as is a flashing light at the dangerous 148 / Wolf Lake road intersection.
James Eggleton, a hopeful future resident, asked about a letter he had received from the municipal lawyer about cleaning up his property in Pontiac, that he had not visited for a year. He wants to clean up but is having problems getting a permit to build a shed. He should call the building inspector.
Roads
Audrey Mantha stated that every time it rains, large gravel is washed across Pères Dominicains road. Sweeping this back into the ditch does not solve the problem, although it makes it temporarily safer for vehicles. Director-general Sylvain Bertrand will check on this.
Louis Garneau suggests that potholes on Papineau road should be patched when Pères Dominicains road is fixed.
To improve safety and allow farmers to move large equipment, a resolution was passed to forbid parking for 250 metres on both sides of Montagne at the highway 148 junction, and on Lamoureux for one km both sides from the junction with Tremblay (near the drag strip). The ministry of Transport will be asked to forbid parking on the 148 at the Montagne intersection.
Council passed resolutions to ask for provincial and federal assistance to pave Eardley-Masham road and Montagne.
Two new fire trucks
A borrowing bylaw was passed by a 5:2 majority to buy two pumper-tanker trucks for $550,912 plus tax, the loan to be paid over 10 years. The trucks have to be ordered now from Seagrave Fire Apparatus Co for delivery in late 2007 and January 2008.
Pickup of bulky items
Mr McCann said that “white goods are being imported into the municipality.” Because of new rules on recovering gas from refrigerators, there will be a return to special pickups for large items, instead of the weekly pickup recently started. A letter has been sent to all residents.
Drinking water
Fondex Outaouais were given the mandate to search for a potable water source in the Boom area near Pontiac Bay.
Wells supplying drinking water to public buildings such as the community centres have to be tested for lead every two years. Hazel Robert suggested that residents should be reminded that well water needs to be tested frequently as it can change. Mr McCann thought this was a good idea and offered to set up a collection system for test samples to be sent to the lab in Gatineau, since the municipality already sends in samples regularly.
The final bills for the Quyon sewage treatment plant will be paid as the engineers have certified it has a useful life of 50 years as originally specified.
Other business
Building permits for work estimated at over $2 million were issued in June.
Marc de la Midière’s request to subdivide 65 de la Rivière into four residential lots was approved.
There were only two calls to the fire department in June and 11 calls to animal control, both down significantly from May.
Councillor Jean Amyotte was named as chair of the bicycle path management committee.
The NCC will be asked if they still intend to install a kiosk at the Luskville Falls parking lot.
Bills for $57,432 and fixed expenses of $230,030 for June, were approved. Anyone may consult the list giving details of these at the municipal office in Luskville.