Pontiac council report - waste disposal costs money
Mo Laidlaw
About 14 residents attended the first council meeting of 2007 on January 16.
Recycling bins
Sylvie Carpentier, Jean-Claude Carisse, and Michel Séguin had questions about recycling now that the blue wheelie bins have been delivered to households: Will the large green recycling containers remain? Mayor McCann answered: Yes for a while, until it is clear how often pickup of recyclables should be carried out. Do we have to pay if our bin is lost or blows away? The bin is your responsibility. It should not be left out on the kerb all the time. Is recycling obligatory? No, but we want to reduce the amount of garbage, which costs more than twice as much to get rid of than recyclables. McCann hopes that taxpayers will encourage each other to recycle to help keep costs down. Sylvain Bertrand (director general) explained that in L’Ange Gardien (also in MRC des Collines) non-recyclers are being identified with a view to encouraging them to recycle.
Septic system fee
Both Sylvie and Madeleine Carpentier asked about the new fee of $16.95 per household for setting up a system to check septic installations. Why should owners of new systems with certificates have to pay this fee? Councillor Jean Amyotte explained that even newly constructed systems may not conform, if not built by a professional. A new parking area may destroy a tile bed. All households not connected to the sewer will be checked to see that they have a septic system, and that it conforms to regulations, over two years. The municipality will not dig holes without notifying the homeowner, but as this is a public health and environmental issue, the inspector has the right to go on properties. Mayor McCann said that money had to be raised for this program as a new inspector is being hired, who will be a qualified engineer or technologist with experience of enforcing public health laws. “A fee was chosen over an increase in mill rate. We will all benefit from cleaning up the municipality.” When non-conforming systems are found, owners will be given 30 days notice to fix their system, and if they do not comply will be taken to municipal court.
Garbage disposal fee
Mr Séguin and Ms M Carpentier asked why this fee has gone up when the municipality has a long-term contract for pickup. Mayor McCann answered that cost of transport to Lachute and disposal fees have gone up, and recycling is included.
Tenders to dig a new trench, 75 feet by 200 feet, and 14 feet deep at the Onslow dump will be sought. This trench can be used for garbage originating in Onslow.
Drainage, roads, snowplowing
Ms S Carpentier complained that there is still a ditching problem on Marquis. Mayor Eddie McCann said that ditching was done and he’d been told the problem was resolved. He reminded residents that municipal ditches are to drain roads, not properties. Ms Carpentier said the problem is now worse.
Mr Carisse said that the truck which plows chemin Tremblay, continues on des Tourterelles and des Colombes avenues and back to Tremblay to turn around. He asked if the operator could spread a little gravel on his way over the beach roads.
Posts and committees for 2007
Deputy mayor, Garry Dagenais; Public Works: Lawrence Tracey, Brian Middlemiss, Dagenais; Tolerance roads and special projects: Raymond Gougeon, Jim Coyle, Harold McKenny; Public safety: Jean Amyotte, Coyle; Public sanitation, water and sewers: McKenny, Eddie McCann; Town planning: Amyotte, Middlemiss; Culture and recreation: Dagenais, Middlemiss, Gougeon; Environment and recycling: Tracey, Coyle, Gougeon; Administration: Middlemiss, Amyotte, McKenny; OMH (social housing) and municipal property: McKenny; Docks: Coyle, McCann.
Other matters
There were 5 calls to the fire department in December.
Requests for building permits were just under $1 million in December. Pierre-Yves Guay, a consultant was awarded a $12,500 contract to revise the town planning regulations.
Bills for $86,446 and fixed expenses of $227,880 up to January 8, were approved.
In future director general Sylvain Bertrand and deputy d-g Isabelle Coté will be licenced to perform marriages in the municipality of Pontiac.