NEWS
Time does not heal rift at Hawkesbury council
had suggested the town adopt a method
as acting mayor only once over the next
Richard.mahoney@eap.on.ca
ensure that the mayor can attend all
used in Clarence-Rockland, whereby each
three years, after the other five councillors
sessions, she said.
H AWKESBURY
councillor would act as deputy mayor for
had served their four-month stints.
Chamaillard was among those
four-month periods.
Toaltertherulesaftertheelectionswould
questioning the logic behind presenting
ButthenotionwasrejectedbyCouncillors
Time has not helped heal rifts among
disrespect the electors, stated Portelance.
the proposed change to the deputy-mayor
André Chamaillard, Portelance, Marc
Hawkesbury town council members, who
The move by the mayor only served to
system. “We have a good regulation now.
Tourangeau and Michel Thibodeau. They
havebeendividedalmostsincethemoment
exacerbate the friction between Berthiaume
To change it would be to look for trouble
support the current method which was
theytooktheiroathsofofficeinDecember,
and Portelance.
where there is none,” he commented.
adopted in 2005, when the municipality
2010.
The mayor, Portelance and Thibodeau
Councillors Michel Beaulne and Alain
eliminatedthereeveanddeputyreevetitles.
The latest source of discord was Mayor
have been embroiled in several heated
Fraser did not speak on the issue before
The council at the time decided that the
René Berthiaume’s attempt to alter the way
exchanges over the past year. The two
Berthiaumehaltedthediscussion,sayingit
deputy mayor would be the councillor who
council appoints its deputy mayor.
councillors have complained that
would be senseless to belabour the point.
received the most votes in the previous
The idea was shot down rapidly, with
Berthiaume is an autocrat; they have also
At the last regular council session,
municipal elections.
Councillor Johanne Portelance, the current
questioned his spending and his approach
Thibodeau continued to raise questions
Portelance is the deputymayor since she
deputy mayor, condemning the suggestion
to dealing with staff.
about the sums spent on social functions,
led all councillor candidates in the
as an “affront to voters.”
So far in the current mandate, Portelance
including a $605 bill for a December 21
November, 2010 elections. However, under
Saying the new policy would permit
hasnotbeenaskedtoserveasdeputymayor.
wine and cheese party. The councillor
the Berthiaume proposal, she would serve
members to plan his successor, Berthiaume
Members have altered their schedules to
complained the expense was unnecessary
since a town staff holiday brunch had
already taken place. Berthiaume defended
the cost, saying that he picked up the wine
tab and that the activity was a worthwhile
MONTHS 0 % 0 90 84 AND FOR UP TO FOR UP TO DAYS Ω
DRIVE
event.
THE
During a recent debate on the town’s
expense policies, Fraser suggested that
Berthiaume was the victim of a “plot” by
FINANCING
some members who were determined to
tarnish the mayor’s reputation.
Divisionsbecameapparentshortlyafter
the 2010 elections when members
PAY LATER
challengedthemayor’schoiceofcommittee
PAYMENTS
members.
event
At a year-end meeting, Berthiaume
conceded that his first year as mayor had
tested his patience. At times, he told
colleagues, hewas prompted to refer to his
books on leadership.
Whiletheatmospherearoundthecouncil
table has often been tense, there have been
some light moments.
For example, before Christmas, Fraser
added a touch of humour to deliberations
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BerthiaumeII ,andpresentingittothemayor,
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laudinghimforsteeringthecouncilthrough
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turbulentwatersduringthefirstyearofthe
four-year term.
the true definition of a cross-over
As Thibodeau allowed during the
deputy-mayor discussion, it seems that
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FINANCING FOR 84 MONTHS 1.29 % WITH
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eBingo!
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newsroom@eap.on.ca
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H AWKESBURY
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Like so many other forms of
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version of the game if the Long Sault bingo
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hall in Hawkesbury wins the right to offer
“electronic bingo” as part of an e-gaming
package.
The initiative, which has been endorsed
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by the town, is seen as a lifeline for the hall,
which last year lost $75,000, municipal clerk
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organizations whose survival depends on
revenues from bingo games held at the
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Laurier Street facility.
Bingo proceeds have been dropping in
recent years, the clerk noted in a memo to
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council.
The hall owners and member-
organizations are eager to see electronic
bingo arrive here, Groulx added.
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