Pontiac Council - 18 contracts for private road maintenance 

Mo Laidlaw

The monthly meeting of Pontiac municipal council was held on November 8 at 7:30 pm in the Luskville community centre. Only 10 members of the public attended. Mario Allen, the Acting director general was present.

A resident of ch Sumac asked if the municipality is responsible for damage caused by contractors carrying out maintenance of private roads. Mayor Roger Larose replied that this is the same as for maintenance of municipal roads, the contractor is responsible.

Administration

$16,712.51 expenses incurred for November were approved. 

Municipal employees will receive a pay rise in order to offer competitive salaries, it being hard to keep staff in our rural area.

Ch des Laurentides is transferred to the municipality, according to an agreement between the owner, Michel Grenier and the municipality. 

A loan is refinanced for a shorter term than originally with Financière Banque Nationale Inc as this is the best offer among three submissions.

The calendar for council meetings in 2023 was adopted. As usual most meetings are held in Luskville at 7:30 on the second Tuesday of the month, except in January on the 17, in May at the Breckenridge Fire Hall, and in June and September at the Quyon community centre.

Fire department

The municipality will buy the used Public security patrol boat from the MRC des Collines, including a trailer and two motors, for $15,000 plus tax, for the fire department to use for rescue calls on the river.

A volunteer firefighter has resigned and is thanked for his dedicated service.

Public works

Eighteen contracts for maintenance of private roads were approved for a total of $82,237.24. All of them are for one year’s winter maintenance entirely paid by the municipality from its own funds (option A in the bylaw). 

Bryan Lance received nine contracts, ranging from $1,839.60 to $12,647.25 for a total of $37,596.83. The largest amount is for ch Pointe-aux-Roches & ch d’En Haut. Mountainview Turf received 5 contracts for a total of $26,271.79. Sébastien Sigouin has two contracts for a total of $10,968.62, while Sébastien St-Amour has one for $5,000 and Janie Lavigne has one for $2,400. 

Submissions for several more road associations are still to be obtained and contracts awarded.

Council decided to refuse all tenders for supplying gravel to resurface about 2 km on ch Elm. Instead Public works will do the work for a maximum of $100,000 made up of $50,000 for gravel and $50,000 for trucking, divided among local contractors.

Planning

A draft bylaw, 12-22, concerning keeping laying hens was tabled and passed. This follows the success of the pilot program (bylaw 04-20). As usual the bylaw includes definitions of terms used: a “hen” is an “adult female barnyard bird of the short-crested, short-winged gallinaceous family.” See the municipal website for details of the bylaw.

The Québec government has a new National Policy on Architecture and Land Use Planning which encourages densification and limits development outside the urban perimeter, which “are not appropriate in rural area like ours.” according to a motion adopted by council. The motion asks for the act respecting the protection of agricultural land (LPTAA) to be revised. “Rural municipalities, because of their characteristics (wide open spaces, proximity to natural areas, quality landscapes, tranquility etc) offer a living environment that meets the needs of a significant portion of the population.” (Although development will destroy many of these characteristics.) Also “The government must repeal the standards relating to the protection of anthropogenic wetlands”. Do we have man-made wetlands in Pontiac? 

Community life

Two safety nets will be bought for the Davis Park rink for $4,150 plus tax from Agora Sport, to protect neighbouring homes.

The contract for maintaining the rink at the Luskville recreation park for this winter is awarded to Sébastien St-Amour for $9000. Another call for tenders for the rinks in Quyon and Davis Park will be made.

Mo’s reports are archived at: www.heritagepontiac.ca/Municipality

The municipal website is www.municipalitepontiac.com