Pontiac council report – Alary Road repair imminent

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Mo Laidlaw

MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC – About a dozen people attended the regular council meeting, October 9 at the Luskville Community Centre. 

Mo Laidlaw

MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC – About a dozen people attended the regular council meeting, October 9 at the Luskville Community Centre. 
The Federation of Quebec Municipalities (FQM) will be asked to review the structure of the municipal administration and recommend what areas need staffing, for a maximum of $11,700. There are two open posts: Communications Director and Assistant Director General.
Public input
Kevin Brady had several questions on how Pontiac will
introduce composting, particularly addressing door-to-door collection with the municipality’s low population density, which resembles that of La Pêche (if you include Gatineau Park) or Val-des-Monts (Gatineau Park excluded), both of which have opted for home composting. Chelsea and Cantley, with higher density
populations, have chosen pickup. Mayor Joanne Labadie said a final
decision has not been made on door-to-door collection, despite council’s vote to move forward with it in February 2018. “We have to look at the long term, and
consider the constraints from the provincial government,” she said, welcoming input from residents
(see more page 21).
Sheila McCrindle asked about promoting home composting. “It’s not fair if people who compost at home have to also pay for collection,” she said. Labadie said the aim is to reduce organic matter in garbage, including meat and pet wastes, which even some home composters, put in the trash. “A full cost analysis hasn’t been done, but it’s possible that we can reduce the amount of garbage enough that waste disposal costs will actually go down,” she added.
Jean-Claude Carisse pointed out that many road signs are hidden by vegetation and that there are only two stop signs at the junction of Damas-Perrier and du Village roads, which is confusing for a T junction. He also suggested it’s a bad idea to combine the Pontiac Country Fair with the NCC’s Fall Rhapsody, because of the large number of people and traffic jams.
Tornado update
 Labadie gave a summary of the situation eighteen days after the storm. Between 25-30 houses are a total loss, and 100 were affected to some extent. Ten local companies, councillors and public works employees helped clean up trees (work not covered by insurance) and volunteers helped with private roads; the brush piles on the sides of Hwy 148 will be cleaned up when the MTQ gives
permission to proceed, as a flagman is required. The municipality’s emergency plan will be updated and Labadie reminded the crowd that this was the fourth major emergency in 16 months.
Alary Road repair
 The plans and tender for the culvert replacement on Alary road have been accepted by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), who will
partially reimburse the costs, as the washout was due to the heavy rain of October 2017. The MPS requires a “type 3 membrane”, which Gauvreau can supply and install. Costs: Gauvreau Terre de surface – $612,394; membrane – $10,523 plus tax; Quadrivium to supervise work – $22,857 plus tax; material analysis and quality control – $10,000.
Bylaws
The first reading of an updated MRC bylaw on the maintenance of public peace and good order was passed.
The French version of the report can be found at www.pontiacjournal.com