Hawkesbury council met on February 25. The public portion of the meeting went rather quickly, but several items were approved by council during the one-hour session.
Flow meter and software
A tender was approved for $185,452.24 to purchase a new flow meter to record the amount of water being treated at the municipal water treatment plant.
The contract was awarded to the lowest of four bids.
New computer software for the construction department will be purchased for $15,000. The staff report stated that the new software will allow for building permit applications to be processed and assigned more efficiently.
Integrity commissioner
Council approved appointing the same integrity commissioner as the United Counties of Prescott and Russell. Appointing an integrity commissioner was on the closed session agenda of counties council’s February 20 meeting. The Hawkesbury municipal code of conduct, which had previously applied only to municipal employees, is also being expanded to cover members of council and municipal boards.
Recreation decisions
Le Chenail Cultural Centre will be the new operator of the town’s tourism information booth and water sports rental facility.
The cost to the town is $25,000. Le Chenail staff will continue to offer all of the services the facility provided under direct town operation and will remit all revenue from fees and rentals back to the town.
Zoé Fortin was formally approved as the town’s Coordinator of Recreational, Community, and Cultural Activities. Fortin has been working in the position in an acting capacity since June 2018.
Submarine cable
An easement has been granted to Cogeco for a new fiber-optic cable.
The new cable will be buried under the Ottawa River from the Québec side and will connect to the Côte d’abattoir/Slaughterhouse Hill area of Hawkesbury.
Cogeco had first presented the plan to council in October 2018.
