Mo Laidlaw

Mo Laidlaw

Local Journalism Initiative

MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC – Council’s monthly meeting was held July 9 at the Luskville Community Centre. A few residents were present.

Following questions from a resident about “the invoice for the SIRCO investigation”, Councillor Laforest moved that this item be removed from the agenda, which was adopted. This was to do with staffing issues in the planning department.

Administration
Chantal Cayer was rehired as a clerk in the planning department and Leanne Steiner as a temporary office clerk.

Council authorized the reimbursement of $750 for use of the Quyon Community Centre for a wedding in June when the air conditioning wasn’t working.

Council supports the Kebaowek First Nation’s legal action to protect the Ottawa River from radioactive contamination.

Although a majority of councillors supported a motion to have access to legal advice from various law firms, this was vetoed by Mayor Roger Larose.

A draft bylaw (15-24) on remuneration of councillors and the mayor was adopted. A meeting with the public will be held about proposed increases in salaries.

Public works
The latest bylaw (09-24) on maintaining private roads open to the public by tolerance was adopted.

A Kubota DM2028 mower will be bought from Huckabone’s Equipment for cutting hay and weeds along roadsides, for $15,500 plus tax.

The offer from Proligne to repaint lines for 42 cents/km on various roads, including Montagne, Pères Dominicains, Village, Murray and Clarendon, a total of $9,657.90, was accepted.

Nathan Ely and Susan Stanley were hired as day labourers.

 Planning
Serge Newberry was hired as a building technician to issue permits and certificates.

 Council supported an application to the CPTAQ to renew authorization to operate a sand and gravel pit at 1963 Alexander, as there is “no suitable space outside the agricultural zone for concrete, asphalt and brick recycling.”

Mo Laidlaw
Local Journalism Initiative

MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC – The municipality’s monthly council meeting was held June 11 at the Quyon Community Centre with a few residents present.

Administration
RPGL Avocats are mandated to respond to a human rights complaint and represent the municipality in a judicial matter.

Relais Expert Enquête et Médiation Inc’s service offer for human resources management was accepted as well as Therrien Couture Joli-Coeur’s offer to support legal services in HR management.

Mario Pilon, director of finance and human resources, was appointed to manage access to information requests.

Public works
Bylaw 09-24 on maintaining tolerance roads was tabled, to replace bylaw 08-23, adding roads and determining the cost of external maintenance contracts by estimate, not by km.

Planning
Five new draft bylaws removed from the agenda of the last regular meeting were passed at special meetings on May 22 and 27. Councillor Laforest said council has been assured by municipal lawyers that the bylaws conform. Urban plan bylaw 10-24 replaces 175-01, zoning bylaw 11-24 replaces 177-01, construction bylaw 12-24 replaces 179-01, subdivision bylaw 13-24 replaces 178-01 and permits and certification bylaw 14-24 replaces 176-01. Changes are to harmonize planning bylaws with the land use and development plan of the MRC des Collines.

Subdivision projects at 3302 route 148 (9 building lots and a road) and 412 rte 366 ouest (4 building lots and a road) were authorized after cash contributions for parks are made.

 The director general was mandated to negotiate the parks contribution with the developer of a subdivision at 75 ch Terry-Fox.

Requests to name the road at 3302 rte 148 “ch Simard” and the road at 412 rte 366 ouest “ch Laliberté” were made to Québec toponymy.

 DHC Avocats has recommended a structural audit of 217 Cedarvale, the subject of many complaints. DWB consultants will carry out this audit for $4,633.

Cardo Urbanisme’s offer to provide support staff for the planning department to manage files and issue permits was accepted for $15,000 plus taxes.

Council supported an owner’s request to the CPTAQ to reconstruct a residence on farm land at 1874 ch de la Montagne.

Recreation and culture
Council thanked volunteers Nathalie Larose, Lyne Lévesque, Marie-France Larose and Lina Légaré for helping with the landscaping of the municipal complex under the coordinator of recreation, community life, etc.

Mo Laidlaw – Local Journalism Initiative

MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC – Council held its regular monthly meeting, April 9 at the Luskville Community Centre.

Administration
The Municipality wants to issue $2.2 million bonds to pay back loans sooner than originally set out in bylaws 05-16 and 09-17. The Ministry of Finance received three bids, the lowest from Financière Banque Nationale Inc, which was awarded the bond issue.

The Municipality will sign an agreement with the MRC-des-Collines to establish a maintenance project for the Ferris Stream branch of the Bélisle Stream to restore normal flow through farmland.

The Quyon Family Centre’s request to be exempt from property taxes was accepted.

Katia Robitaille was hired as tax clerk.

Council requested that the federal government work with municipalities to provide funds for local infrastructure to support growth.

Council supported keeping the Caisse Populaire Desjardins ATM in Luskville.

Public works
Council accepted a tender for $9,140 plus tax, from VO3, for a small-scale test to reduce organic matter and trihalomethanes (THMs) (due to decaying vegetation in lakes reacting with chlorine), in the Quyon drinking water plant. This may help the plant meet certain standards.

The one-year contract for maintaining green spaces was awarded to Entreprise MK for $55,135 including tax.

The contract for supplying and spreading dust suppressant on gravel roads in 2024 was awarded to Multi-Route for $81,086 including tax.

The Municipality will join a group purchase of road salt (NaCl) with the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) for 4 years.

Patrick Kevin Brazeau was hired as a day labourer.

Planning
A municipal “flood lot” at 110 ch Bord-de-l’eau will be sold to a neighbouring owner to install a septic system.

New members were appointed to the planning committee (CCU): Marielle Gervais-Joanisse, Muriel Dufour and Sophie Séguin, in addition to current members: Councillors Amyotte and Dagenais, and Mayor Roger Larose.

Recreation and culture
The following people were hired for the 2024 Pontiac day camp: Annie Lambert, coordinator; Alexia Bélanger, head animator; and Madyson Belland, Amélie Piquet, Allyson Venne and Marie-Laure Bouchard, as animators.

Mo Laidlaw – Local Journalism Initiative

MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC – Council’s monthly meeting was held March 12 at the Luskville Community Centre with four residents present. Councillor McCann was absent.

Administration
Mario Allen was named director general and director of public works (DPW) after two years as the acting DG and DPW. He was originally hired for four months in April 2022.

Bylaw 08-24 to update the fee schedule for supplying goods and services was adopted.

The contract with Centre de services partagés du Québec (CSPQ) to supply printers, photocopiers, office supplies and paper for the Town Hall and the Luskville library was extended for 24 months.

Councillor McCann was named as municipal representative on the Pontiac Housing Office (OHP) administration committee.

A daily labourer was hired for a maximum of 1,000 hours.

Public works
The DPW was authorized to bid up to $25,000 each on used equipment at auction at Les Encans Ritchie Bros: a roll-off trailer and containers for the eco centre. At a special meeting on March 19, a small garbage truck was added to the list to simplify collection from private roads in winter and support snow removal, with a bid up to $50,000 authorized.

Planning
Bylaws 05-24, 06-24 and 07-24 on minor variances, public nuisances and the planning committee (CCU) were adopted.

More time was requested from the MRC des Collines to revise the urban plan and bylaws.

Pontiac and other municipalities of the MRC made a collective request to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAMH) for more time to make various bylaws conform to the revised land use and development plan of the MRC des Collines.

A surveyor will be contacted to replace survey markers at 1863 ch de la Montagne.

A municipal “flood lot” at 447 ch Clavelle will be leased to a neighbouring owner.

Volunteers are requested to sit on the planning committee (CCU).

Recreation and culture
The 2024 Pontiac Country Music Festival (Festival Country de Pontiac) was advanced $35,000 for expenses, to be refunded by sales.

Cabinets for storing dishes, etc. at the Luskville and Quyon Community centres will be purchased: two cabinets for each location for $699 plus tax each.

Mo Laidlaw
Local Journalism Initiative

MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC – The Municipality of Pontiac’s monthly council meeting was held January 23 at the Luskville Community Centre; three residents attended.

Administration

Bylaw 01-24 establishing tax rates for 2024 was passed. The residential tax rate per $100 of property value is 0.6081 and 1.218 for businesses. Services like recycling and garbage pick-up and in Quyon, drinking water and sewage, are extra.

Several contracts were awarded for services in 2024 (tax not included): Legal services from RPGL Avocats: 97.5 hours; legal services from DHC Avocats, a bank of 40 hours; services from PMB Huissiers de justice, a maximum of $25,000; planning services from Cardo Urbanisme, a bank of 20 hours; for the Quyon and Luskville parks development project, A4 Architecture+Design, $20,000 based on a bank of hours, and Loisir Sport Outaouais, $12,500; biological advice on various road and urban planning projects, AP Enviro-conseil, $9,900 (90 hours); appraisals from Société d’évaluation immobilière de l’Outaouais, max $3,500; and staff training by PG Solutions, $2,565.

Draft bylaw 02-24 regarding agreements between residents and the municipality on municipal infrastructure work and cost sharing was tabled.

Council confirmed to the Ministry of Transport that they will use the remaining local roads grant (PAVL) on eligible work, with work already done on Braun, Hammond, Wilson, Rivière, Elm, Beaudoin, 3rd, 5th, and 6th Concessions, and Proven.

The municipality’s share (10%) of the Pontiac housing office’s deficit for 2023 is $4,001.

A law student from the University of Ottawa will provide volunteer legal assistance to citizens, as part of the U of O’s community involvement learning program.

Public works

The best offer received through SÉAO to buy an excavator was from Empire for $165,179 including tax.

Managers of the drinking water and sewage plants were asked to provide administration details with a report on their potential capacity, including the network and pumping stations.

Planning

Draft bylaw 03-24 on maintaining buildings was tabled to control dilapidated buildings.

Two “flood lots” owned by the municipality will be leased to neighbouring owners on Du Ruisseau and Saphir roads.

A 1.6 km recreational trail on the former rail-line between Terry-Fox and Sumac roads will be created as planned, at the developers’ requests.

DHC Avocats were mandated to continue legal proceedings in the Superior Court against the owner of a cottage at 217 Cedarvale road, which should be demolished.

See the online minutes for full details of new bylaws including tax rates.