Tony Rotherham

Tony Rotherham, LJI

All members of council were present except M. Lanteigne; eight residents were in the audience.
Questions – during the meeting covered the following points: A request for more public consultation on major projects and expenditures – road reconstruction, budgets and town hall renovation. It was noted that there will probably be a public consultation held in March on the renovation of the town hall.
Hydro-Quebec provided a detailed presentation on the Hilo Energy saving pilot project by Zoom. The project was described in detail in the October issue of Tempo. It will provide free installation of the Hilo equipment in homes in 7 local rural municipalities including West Bolton and St-Étienne. Applications must be received by Hydro-Quebec between Feb 5 and 19 in 2024.
Town Planning – Six permits were issued in December with a value of $1,000. In 2023 a total of 117 permits were issued with a total value of $8,259,000.
Council approved an amendment to RM 460-2023 on peace order and nuisances to include a new regulation prohibiting all use of fireworks throughout the municipality. The objective is to avoid wildfire hazard, reduce nuisance and disturbance of wildlife and domestic animals.
Property tax rates for 2024 @ $0.36/$100 of evaluation were formally approved.
Roads and Infrastructure – John Rhicard has been hired to help supervise road maintenance on a part-time basis.
Public Security – The Red Cross service agreement has been renewed at a cost of $220/yr for a period of three years.
Next Meeting: Monday, February 19, 2024

Tony Rotherham, LJI

Food banks across Canada are overloaded with demand for assistance due to the high cost of food, general inflation of rents, and the cost of living. The Town of Brome Lake Food Bank, founded in 1990, has served the needy in TBL, West Bolton, and Brome village for 33 years.
The number of people using the food bank has increased from about 30-40 requests to a high of about 63 in mid-2023. It is now at about 50. People needing assistance fill out an application form at the community centre providing their address and family size.
The annual budget of the food bank is about $70,000 provided by generous contributions from individuals and organizations in the community. TBL provides telephone services and a room in the community centre for storing food and packing the boxes for pick-up each month on distribution day. Deliveries are made only in cases of emergency. A food voucher that can be used exclusively for food at the IGA may be provided. Some of the local organizations that provide support are IGA, Brome Bird Care, the Knowlton Pub Christmas party, and Le Comptoir Familial.
The food bank is operated by 20 volunteers who buy food from the IGA and other local wholesale providers, some of which provide stock at discount prices. The food is sorted and stored in the work room at the community centre. Boxes are packed according to family size and need by the volunteers ready for collection on distribution day.
Donations: non-perishable food can be left in the food bank bin in the cloakroom at the TBL Community Centre; send cheques to Town of Brome Lake Food Bank c/o TBL Community Centre, 270 Victoria St, Knowlton, QC, J0E 1V0; or donate through Canada Helps.

Tony Rotherham, LJI

All members of council were present; ten residents were in the audience.
Questions during the meeting covered the following points: The astonishing increase in the new triennial roll property evaluation- 84% over the previous evaluation, the possibility of getting information on the basis for this increase; and the renovation of the town hall (no news yet); and a total ban on the use of fireworks in the municipality seems excessive.
Town planning – Four permits were issued with a value of $81,000. An application for a short term rental permit was approved for a property at 6 Paige Road. Council approved a Notice of Motion for a new regulation prohibiting the use of fireworks in the municipality. The objective is to avoid wildfire hazard, reduce nuisance and disturbance of wildlife and domestic animals. Note: Area lost to wildfire in Canada during 2023 was about 18 million ha, about 2.5 times the previous record loss to fire.
The calendar of council meetings and waste collection is now available on the municipal website. No collection of large items has yet been scheduled for 2024. Efforts to find a contractor continues. Large items can be taken to the ecocentre at Cowansville.
Roads and infrastructure – West Bolton has assumed responsibility for maintenance of several roads – Gauvin, Laporte, des Appalaches and Crow Hill. Crow Hill Road is on private land and has been returned to the private owner. An application for a TECQ four-year grant of $920,760 to pay for road maintenance was approved.
Environment – Council voted in support of the new international target to conserve biodiversity. Council has not established a program to promote biodiversity conservation.
Donations were approved for: BMP Foundation; Main dans la Main; Au Coeur des familles agricoles; and Cooperative du pays des vergers; as well as a continuation of the subsidy of $150/child to encourage the use of washable diapers
Next Meeting: Monday, January 22, 2024

Tony Rotherham, LJI

All members of council were present; 14 residents were in the audience.
The Mayor stated that the budget had been developed by all members of council and the municipal staff. Costs for services like snow removal and waste collection have increased by as much as 20%. Previous budgets were balanced by transfers from the accumulated surplus and revenue from the Welcome Tax. But property sales have dropped and the surplus fund is now at the level recommended for financial stability. The proposed increase of 25% in revenue from property taxes is partly due to the expected reduction in non-property tax revenues. Expenditure 2023 – $2,575,686; 2024 – $2,935,798. Details of the budget can be found on the West Bolton municipal website. The total value of property in West Bolton in the 2024-26 triennial roll has increased by 84% from 2023. The tax rate has been reduced from 0.53/100$ evaluation to 0.36$/100$, a reduction of 32%.
Expenditures have increased in administration, public safety, road maintenance, waste collection and snow removal. The 2024 Budget was approved.
The surprising increase in property values was the subject of detailed discussion during question period. The 84% increase in value is not evenly distributed. Some properties declined in value but most increased. It was said that the “assessed valuation” is not as important as “equitable valuation” so that all property owners pay their fair share of the tax load.
It is expected that the committee reviewing the future of the town hall will be able to report on their recommendations in February/March 2024.

Tony Rotherham, LJI

All members of council were present except L. Allen; ten residents were in the audience.

The mayor announced that the new triennial roll of property value assessment for the period 2024 – 2026 had been received from the evaluators and the MRC. The average increase in value of properties in West Bolton is 84%. He also stated that the tax rate would be reduced significantly.

Questions covered the following points: Perhaps the MRC and municipalities should consider changing the procedure for funding the SQ. There are two formulas used; a set amount per house/or population and a percentage of the total assessed value of properties in the municipality.

Residents are anxious to see the report and recommendations for renovation or replacement of the town hall. The committee is reviewing the following points: the need for additional space for meetings, offices and storage, the purchase of additional land adjacent to the town hall to permit expansion and renovation of the existing building and installation of a well and septic system. There is also the possibility that a new site will be found and a new town hall built. There are lots of complications involved including approval by CPTAQ if land adjacent to the present town hall is purchased.

When will new speed limits be established on West Bolton roads? A review of present limits followed by a new regulation and installation of signs is required.

Town Planning – Eight permits were issued with a value of $73,000. Thomas Duperee has been appointed to the CCU for a period of two years. A minor derogation to build a house on a lot on de la Tour Road was refused. The demolition bylaw was adopted with two additions – consideration of environmental impacts of the demolition and heritage values. Councillors Richer, Asselin and Whitcher were appointed to the committee to evaluate requests for demolition and issue permits at $350 each.

Council meetings will be held on Monday at 7:30 p.m. during 2024, but not always on the first Monday of the month, see new schedule on municipal website.

Roads and infrastructure – Contracts were approved for snow clearing at the town hall, a dry hydrant on Summit Road and Foster Mt. parking lot as well as emergency replacement of a culvert on Spicer Road.

Environment – It was recommended that residents conduct a test for radon if this has not yet been done. It is not expensive and may provide important information.

Next Meeting: Monday, December 4th

Tony Rotherham

All members of council were present; seven residents were in the audience.

The meeting opened with a presentation by Hydro-Quebec on Hilo, an energy conservation pilot project open to residents of West Bolton, Austin, Eastman, Potton, Sutton and the Boltons, free of charge. The hydro system serving this area was built between 1910 and 1960. It is old and does not provide adequate power to serve modern needs. Rebuilding it will take several years. There are two periods each day when electricity demand spikes; 6 – 10 a.m. and 5 – 9 p.m. Hilo is a computer-controlled service that helps to reduce demand during these periods by lowering the settings on thermostats that control baseboard heaters. Hydro estimates that householders using Hilo will save about $140 each year. Residents of the municipalities in the area are eligible to join the pilot project free of charge. Apply to Hydro between November 6 and 22, 2023.

hiloenergie.com/en-ca/projet-estrie/

Town Planning – Nine permits were issued with an estimated value of $723,000.

Mr. Dominique Murphy has been appointed to the CCU for a period of two years.

The municipal building inspector will coordinate changes in management/conservation of forests and wetlands required by the MRC.

Roads and Infrastructure – There was a short discussion of a proposal to reconfigure the intersection of Spicer and Bailey roads to improve public safety.

Emergency work to repair culverts on Stagecoach and Glen Road have been completed.

Avizo Experts have been hired to assess the cost and feasibility of a proposal to improve the flow of water in the creek that crosses Brill Road at the junction with Argyll Road. and avoid a repetition of the 2019 flood.

Purchase of a ½ ton truck was approved.

Rebuilding of the bridge on #243 at Tiffany Beach will disrupt traffic for about two months. Some traffic will detour through West Bolton. Detour signs should be prepared.

Speed limits on all municipal roads will be reviewed and changes made in 2024 if required.

Leisure and Culture – West Bolton’s agreement with the Pettes Library in Knowlton has been renewed.

Next Meeting: Monday, November 6