Pontiac council report - some councillors snubbing fire chief
Mo Laidlaw
The council meeting of 13 April 2010 was packed, with over 40 members of the public attending.
Public input
Bill Hamilton spoke about the Quyon Waterfront Revitalization Committee (QWRC), whose members include service clubs and ratepayers from across the municipality. He described how the present Lions Club hall was an army-surplus steel building from Petawawa, bought in the 1960s and modified and improved over the years. The QWRC is now fundraising. The members’ vision includes a campground, a bandstand and picnic area, and they look forward to working with the municipality in the long term, and seeking funding from all possible sources.
Horse riding
Sheila McCrindle is forming a group to reestablish the equestrian trail in Gatineau Park. She has met with NCC officials who are supportive, and she asked for help from the municipality, specifically to install culverts. Anyone who would like to help rebuild the trail, or who is interested in riding, should contact her: s.mccrindle@fivewinds.com.
Heather and Bob Baser have lived in Pontiac Bay for 33 years. They described how many residents and visitors use their road, which provides access to the canal around the Chats Falls, and the historic horse railway, as well as to the Indian portage around the falls. They and other residents formed a road association to obtain municipal grants for maintenance, in October 2009, but the municipal office lost their paperwork, so they may have to reapply and wait another year before being eligible for grants. Councillor Inès Pontiroli pointed out that the bylaw on tolerance roads is going to be modified.
Trouble for the fire department
To all appearances, four councillors put personal animosity or perceived slights ahead of good working of the fire department, and voted (against legal advice) against ending the suspension of the fire chief. Councillor Beaton explained that she’d missed the previous meeting so she was not sufficiently informed to vote to end the suspension. Councillors Larose and Coyle had “walked out” of that meeting. Councillor Amyotte, former chair of the fire committee, also voted against ending the suspension. Indignant residents felt that the behaviour of some councillors was childish, and could put public safety at risk.
Incinerator project
Information was given about the modification of the zoning for the industrial park area, along highway 148, northeast of Quyon, to allow an incinerator to be built and operated there. The second reading of the bylaw was passed. A resolution was passed to pay a consultant $919 to work on the incinerator project.
Nuisances
Two files were approved to be sent to the municipal lawyer to start legal proceedings for infractions to the nuisance bylaw. Councillor Larose voted against.
Two ratepayers who did not pay their taxes while waiting for their properties to be reevaluated will have to pay interest on the arrears.
Money matters
Bills for $67,053 and fixed expenses of $374,534 for March were approved.
Pierre Morimanno, the architect for the town hall extension will supervise the building work for $11,600. Some councillors felt this was good insurance for a quality building, others felt it was adding to cost overruns. The mayor used his deciding vote to pass this motion.
$4,900 was approved for Génivar to draw up plans and specifications for the bicycle trail in Breckenridge.