William Dale
Published online July 1, 2026, at www.pontiacjournal.com
PORTAGE-DU-FORT – Portage-du-Fort council has hired former Waltham director general Fernand Roy to help train the municipality’s interim director general (DG) despite a past Quebec Municipal Commission (CMQ) report that found administrative irregularities and ethical breaches during his tenure. Following the June 3 council meeting, Joanne MacDonald was appointed interim DG to oversee the municipal office, and council approved a consulting contract for Roy at a rate of $65 per hour to assist with the administrative transition.
Roy’s return to municipal work in the Pontiac comes after a public CMQ investigation into his time with the Municipality of Waltham. The commission’s report found that Roy’s spouse had been placed on the municipal payroll for unverified work and cited the irregular use of pre-signed blank municipal cheques. When asked whether council had considered the CMQ report before approving Roy’s contract, Mayor Kevin Murphy said he had “no issues” with the arrangement and defended the decision, describing Roy as a practical resource to help address an administrative backlog left by previous management.
Murphy said Roy is working up to 30 hours, with the possibility of additional time, to train MacDonald on specialized municipal software, prepare resolutions and update neglected council minutes. “She doesn’t really have the experience, but she’s learning fast,” Murphy said of the interim DG. “It’s just catch up with the minutes, catch up with the bylaws, catch up with all that stuff that hadn’t been done or had been neglected, I should say.” He described Roy’s contract as short term, adding, “He’s here a little bit longer, not much.” Murphy later added, “He’s doing a perfect job.”
The municipality has not yet established a firm timeline for hiring a permanent DG. Murphy said council is using the extensions permitted under provincial legislation to keep MacDonald in the interim role while it prepares to recruit a permanent replacement. “She’s [hired for] 30 days with an extension of possibly another 30 days,” Murphy said, adding that he would need to verify the exact dates but that the municipality intends to use the full extension period. Murphy confirmed the permanent DG position is being advertised in the Pontiac Journal [see pg. 35].
Despite the administrative challenges facing the municipality, Murphy said the atmosphere at the municipal office has improved during the transition. “The environment changed quite a bit here,” he said. “Everybody’s happy. So, it’s just all up from here.”