Government

Grenville-sur-la-Rouge Mayor John Saywell was handed a non-confidence vote by a majority of council at a special meeting held Monday, January 30.

In a 4-2 vote, supported by Councillors Noël Baril, Pierre Lessard, Diane Monette and Alain Carrière, the approved resolution cited 14 allegations of misconduct against the mayor.

Saywell noted while the resolution explains he is "no longer authorized to make decisions" on his own, he believes it is not legally binding.

North Glengarry officials informed the municipalities of Casselman and The Nation that the township would be withdrawing from the North Glengarry Prescott Russell (NGPR) Transport Board, following a unanimous decision on Tuesday, January 17.

Council members have previously expressed dissatisfaction with the service, or lack thereof, provided by the transport board's operator, 417 Bus Lines Ltd., following cost-cutting measures last year.

The dismay of two councillors wasn't enough to stop council from approving an unbudgeted expenditure of $24,800 to give the Town of Hawkesbury five minutes of fame.

At the regular meeting of council held on Monday, January 30, council approved a recommendation to seek $24,800 from the Hawkesbury Industrial Strategic Planning Association for the potential to garner a five-minute spot on the American television show "Inside Financial," which is partially hosted by former football pro Terry Bradshaw.

Two years after hitting the real estate market with a $949,000 price tag, the Lachute United Church and a portion of its property has been sold to the city for just one dollar.

According to Rev. Georgia Copland, the dwindling group of parishioners could no longer afford to maintain the historic red brick building and keep up its costly repairs.

The future of the Ministry of Natural Resources' plan to remediate the contaminated CIP lagoon site is somewhat up in the air right now.

MNR regional engineer Mark Stephen made a presentation to council on Monday, January 16, outlining the progress being made at the site.

"We're doing a lot of work here in Hawkesbury and want to update you on progress made so far," said Stephen, noting the MNR was ready to proceed with its remediation plan in 2010 but was unable to secure funding from the provincial and federal governments.

After two significant tax hikes in 2010 and 2011, taxpayers in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge will get a break from the tax man with this year's budget.

Revenues from taxes will increase from $3.8 million last year to almost $4 million this year, but the difference will be paid with an increase in assessment values of only a few properties.

"Council has made a point of maintaining expenses and exercising control from last year," said Mayor John Saywell.

If the discord and frustration plaguing Grenville-sur-la-Rouge council had not provided enough turbulence at recent meetings, a councillor's resignation last week as president of two committees proved to be the next step in a series of sweeping changes for the relatively small municipality.

Daniel Gauthier, who had been elected president of the recreation and public security committees only a month earlier, announced his resignation on Tuesday, January 10.

Chris McDonell climbs from his former post as deputy mayor into the mayor's chair this week after being elected by voters in North Glengarry Township as their next head of council.

"I'd like to thank the people that came out to support me, who worked for me, almost everybody in general," he said during a victory speech at the Glengarry Sports Palace in Alexandria.