Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist
CHANDLER – The ongoing legal saga involving the Town of Chandler’s claim against former mayor Louisette Langlois is dragging on as the case is not expected to be heard before the spring of 2025.
A hearing scheduled for September 3 was postponed because the judge required that the parties be present, which had not been initially requested. This forced a new postponement of the case.
The judge will then resolve the remaining legal rules and will hear the case on the merits at the same time. In the best-case scenario, a decision is not expected before the summer of 2025.
Suspended in January 2021 for 180 days, the resolution adopted at that time stated that the accusations against Louisette Langlois were the result of serious or intentional misconduct, by giving precedence to her personal interest, by having committed actions intentionally and, premeditatedly, all to achieve her ends.
In January 2022, the Town filed a motion claiming $230,411 in legal fees to defend the former mayor before In addition, the motion accused her of having multiplied the procedures thereafter.
The Town hasn’t ruled out readjusting its claim to request all the costs incurred by the case. The total cost of this saga now exceeds $375,000.
$2.7 million in asphalt
Lately, there has been much criticism of the condition of certain municipal roads. However, the town of Chandler has recently announced it will invest a little over $2.7 million in street paving.
Several streets, including some high traffic areas, will be repaved. “Our streets need love, for example, Polyvalente Street and Hôtel-de-ville Street. They need to be redone because they are in an advanced state of deterioration,” notes Mayor Gilles Daraiche.
The resolution includes work on Bellevue, Baie-Bleue, Lapierre, Mgr Ross, Hôtel-de-ville, Daignault, Plage, Cormier, McGrath, Détente, Arcelles, Anse-aux-Canards, Germain and Lantin Streets.
The mayor mentions that four small sections of asphalt were done this year at a cost of $70,000.
The loan settlement process is underway and the mayor hopes for a quick response from the Quebec government in order to do the asphalt work this fall.
In 2021, $2.3 million was invested in asphalt work in the Town of Chandler.
Newport water treatment project
The water treatment project in the Newport district is not progressing very quickly, making development in this sector difficult.
The mayor explains that the water treatment project is complicated. “The system can’t take any more. There are people who want to add services, register other land, and build houses. This is a file that is dragging on and we will work hard so that at least there is work at the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026,” says Mr. Daraiche.
government assistance with a request for a minimum of 90% funding. The project has been included in the Town’s Three-Year Capital Plan for several years at a cost of $12 million. With inflation, the project could reach $20 million, while an amount of $15 million had been mentioned in 2022.
“Unfair” competition?
The Town is upset with the programming offered by Chandler’s Camp Bellefeuille. Some activities proposed by the camp duplicate those offered by the Town, despite a promise.
The mayor does not want to make a war out of it but says he’s disappointed. “I spoke to the director who told me that each activity at Camp Bellefeuille would complement the Town’s activities. Unfortunately, that is not the case. We do yoga, they do yoga. We do fitness, they do that too. It’s the same thing as us. That’s not what was said,” complains Mr. Daraîche.
The mayor maintains that registrations for the Town’s activities, both at the sports complex and the arena, are full.