Brownsburg-Chatham, QC

Five people, including a Sûreté du Quebec (SQ) police officer, were taken to hospital on Sunday, October 9, after a police cruiser and a passenger vehicle were involved in a collision on Highway 50 in Brownsburg-Chatham.

A male police officer from the force's Argenteuil division was seriously injured when his cruiser was struck by a minivan occupied by a couple and their two children. The crash took place shortly after 12 p.m. at kilometre 248 of the highway.

Significant pieces of Canadian history are closer to home that you might think.

Parks Canada, the federal agency responsible for managing the country's national parks and historical sites, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. With that in mind, and as a follow-up to the recent Canada Day celebrations, Parks Canada is inviting the public to celebrate its special birthday with a free "doors open" day at its sites this Saturday, July 16.

Questions of criminal misconduct between a municipal councillor and the mayor were addressed at the Brownsburg-Chatham council meeting on Monday, May 9.

Resident Jean-Sebastien Patrice initially asked Mayor Georges Dinel, during question period, to confirm if rumours were true that there was an ongoing criminal investigation involving council.

Brownsburg-Chatham residents took full advantage of both question periods at the municipal council meeting last Monday, March 7, to express frustration and disappointment over several municipal affairs items.

The next evolution in the development of recreational tourism in Argenteuil involves the proposed purchase of two, prime waterfront properties from the Municipality of Brownsburg-Chatham.

The adjoining properties, to be purchased by the MRC d'Argenteuil for $200,000, are located between Montée St. Philippe and Carillon in a sector just north of the Belvedere.

The property extends almost one kilometre inland and four and a half kilometers east-west along the river.

Residents of Brownsburg-Chatham can expect a 21-per-cent average increase in their municipal taxes in 2011, as announced by municipal council and staff at a special budget meeting on Tuesday, December 21.

Revenues from taxes will increase from $6.16 million in 2010 to $7.49 million in 2011, a jump of $1.33 million (or 21.6 per cent) to be financed by taxpayers.

The annual mayor's report on the financial situation of Brownsburg-Chatham was released last month in anticipation of the municipality's 2011 budget, which was expected to be unveiled Tuesday evening, December 21.

As of December 31, 2009, the municipality's deficit stands at $1.89 million. In reading the report, Mayor Georges Dinel said this figure includes the 2009 deficit of $1.52 million as well as about $470,000 from previous deficits in 2007 and 2008.

It's been just over a year since a new municipal council took office in Brownsburg-Chatham and the transition has been a rough one, according to some.

Key municipal posts have been vacated, the town has just hired its third director-general of the year, and not all residents are pleased with what they refer to as a "lack of municipal vision."

A Brownsburg-Chatham resident contacted The Review late last month to discuss some white, foamy substance floating along the Ottawa River near his property.

According to resident Ken Draycott, there was a period of two or three days where the substance was in high volume, though he said "this has been going on for years."