Pontiac Council Report- three bylaws adopted at September meeting

Mo Laidlaw

The monthly meeting of Pontiac municipal council was held September 13 at 7:30 pm in the Luskville community centre. Over 20 members of the public attended, several having questions about the private road bylaw. All member of council and Mario Allen, the Acting director general (ADG) were present.

Public input

Coté has a problem with accessing storage at the Women’s Institute building in Quyon. Mayor Larose explained that the regional food bank, Le Grenier des Collines has rented part of the building for two days a week since September 2020, for 5 years. It needed the space because of the pandemic and local needs. The dialogue continued for a long time with raised voices and ended with Larose saying, “talk to your lawyer.” Meanwhile someone in the back of the room talked continuously. 

Two residents had questions about the bylaw on “maintenance of private roads open to the public by tolerance” (09-22) which is still confusing some residents. Councillors Laforest and Amyotte, the ADG and the mayor all commented, and it was suggested that amendments can be made to the bylaw later if necessary. The bylaw was adopted later in the meeting to applause from the audience.

At the end of the meeting a resident asked about cleaning ditches and was told to phone Public Works.

Administration

$49,534 expenses incurred for September were approved. 

Bylaw 11-22 was passed, abolishing the position of Assistant Director General.

$7,500 to La Table autonome des aînés des Collines (Seniors’ round table) was approved.

Public works

The Ministry of Transport (MTQ) is requested to plan to pave the 3.8 km unpaved portion of Eardley-Masham road in 2023, linking Pontiac to La Pêche. This road is used by fire and police vehicles, students attending high school in Ste-Cécile-de-Masham, residents attending the CLSC, tourists, and hikers.

The four charcoal filters in the water treatment plant in Quyon need to be replaced. Coconut shell granulated activated carbon is said to work better than regular charcoal as a filtering medium because it removes more chlorine and trihalomethanes. VO3 Inc will replace two of the four filters for $31,527 plus tax, to allow testing of the new filters. This will be funded by the gas tax program (TECQ). 

Jason Hynes Construction Inc is given the contract to pave 85 m of ch Cedarvale for $14,900 plus tax, the best of 3 offers.

Planning

Four requests to the CPTAQ to build a residence on farm land were supported by council. Two of these are on existing lots in residential areas in the agricultural zone: 2101 ch Beaudoin and 113 ch Frazer. The other two are on farms: 5857 ch Farrell to use 0.5 ha for a residence and 293 ch Bradley, to convert a barn to a residence on 0.3 ha.

Another request to the CPTAQ is to acquire 4 lots south of route 148 in the farm zone to group into a 60 ha farm, “223 Vaillant”.

The MTQ is asked to transfer ch de la Butte to the municipality, which has always maintained it.

Bylaw 10-22 was passed on the operation of the Planning committee (CCU).