Alleyn-et-Cawood (Township)

The council discussed various administrative, public safety, public works, and planning matters. Key topics included the presentation of draft regulations regarding municipal ethics and property transfer taxes, support for collective transport funding, and the adoption of a health, safety, and wellness program. Approvals were granted for electrical work at city hall, human resources consulting services, and legal service agreements. The meeting also addressed the abolition of a specific position within public works, the redistribution of excavated materials, the purchase of a mechanical broom, and various urban planning applications, including a minor variance for a lot on Saint-Louis Street and the naming of new roads. Finally, the council authorized a financial assistance application for a local history interpretation center and confirmed a new banking services agreement.

The council held an extraordinary meeting to discuss and approve the hiring of a new Director General for the municipality, following the upcoming retirement of the current incumbent. The council authorized the Mayor to execute the employment contract and established the terms of the new appointment, including the anticipated start date and probationary period.

Key discussions during this municipal council meeting included the ratification of the agenda and previous meeting minutes from January 2026, and the ratification of expenditures for January 2026, totaling $302,813.96 plus $67,104.16 for salaries and council remuneration. Administrative items addressed the sending of unpaid tax files to legal counsel, the proclamation of the National Day for the Promotion of Positive Mental Health, the indexing of staff and elected officials' remuneration by 2.5%, and accepting the notice of retirement for the Director General, Martin Léger. Financial resolutions involved approving a concordance resolution for a short-term loan of $654,600 to be realized on March 12, 2026, and appointing Councillor Luc Tremblay to the Papineau-Labelle Wildlife Reserve Regional Advisory Committee. In public safety, Kathy Ricard was officially appointed as Director of the First Responders Service, retroactive to February 1, 2026, and an updated Policy and Code of Ethics for First Responders was adopted. The hiring of two new first responders, Charline Barnes and Alexandre Rousseau, contingent on training completion, was authorized. Public Works decisions included awarding mandates for street sweeping to Entreprises JEROCA Inc. and street lining to Proligne, and accepting a service offer from Équipe Laurence for road repair plans and estimates for the Rockway Valley Road. Environmental matters involved granting a mandate for septic system plans for a future daycare at 133, rue Saint-Louis, authorizing the purchase of a shipping container for the ecocenter, and approving adherence to RAPPEL (Regroupement des associations pour la protection de l'environnement des lacs et des bassins versants). Planning items included a report on January permits (10 issued for $428,500 in work value) and giving notice of motion for Regulation 608-26 regarding building occupation and maintenance. In Leisure and Culture, the 2026 summer day camp fee schedule was adopted, support was given to maintain the reduced rate for inter-library loans, funding was approved for registration at the Loisirs Rural Congress, and support was voiced for the City of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts regarding the development of a regional sports complex. Finally, authorization was granted to sign an agreement with Actions Saint-Rémi for the management and operation of the Amherst Territory Interpretation Center. A new business item involved accepting a conditional use request (UC004-2025) for short-term rental at 445, chemin Raoul-Duchesneau, which had been previously refused in December 2025.

The extraordinary session addressed the ratification of the agenda, with an additional item concerning the allocation of available balances from a closed borrowing by-law. Key resolutions included the authorization for the Director General to sign the service agreement for community childcare services, ensuring the continuity of the service and potential subsidized spots, and planning for the relocation of the childcare service to the Maisonnée building upon completion of necessary work. Furthermore, the council authorized the Director General to allocate the available balance from closed borrowing by-law 553-20 towards the payment of annual principal and interest installments.

The ordinary session included a consultation regarding By-law Project 606-25, which modifies By-law 599-25 to add provisions related to Integrated Housing Projects (PIH). The council ratified expenditures for December 2025. General administration items included the deposit of the report on the application of the Contract Management By-law, authorization to sign a service agreement with Centre Canin Le Refuge for animal control services for 2026 (up to $2160 plus taxes), and the renewal of membership for the Director General in the Association des directeurs municipaux du Québec (ADMQ). In Public Safety, the responsible counselor reported on first responder interventions for December 2025 and noted that the Emergency Measures Plan update is nearly complete. Under Environment, an additional mandate was granted to the firm Aqua Data to update the intervention plan to include the storm sewer network, costing $1200 plus taxes, to be charged to the TECQ grant. The Urban Planning department reported that seven permits were issued in December 2025, totaling an estimated $270,500 in work value for the month. Finally, the council authorized the submission of a financial aid application to the Fonds Régions et Ruralité (FRR) -- volet 2 for the 'Au fil des talents' project, which features a series of four local and regional artist performances scheduled throughout 2026.