Montgomery, Perez decry Rotrand’s proposed deal for police Station 11
Independent councillor trying to look like ‘superman,’ N.D.G.-C.D.N. mayor says
Côte-des-neiges—notre-damedeGrâce Mayor Sue Montgomery and Montreal opposition leader Lionel Perez have rejected a compromise proposal by independent Coun. Marvin Rotrand on the closing of police Station 11.
In city council on Monday night, Rotrand announced he’d made a deal with the Plante administration to consider the possibility of replacing the station on Somerled Ave. with a mini-station in eastern N.D.G. The proposed deal calls for police to hold an information session to replace a meeting that was cancelled because of the COVID -19 pandemic.
Rotrand did not consult Montgomery or Perez, who oppose the station’s closing, before deciding to broker a deal with the administration.
Montgomery rejected the proposal out of hand, saying it does not satisfy residents’ demands that Station 11 remain open and that they be consulted on any plans to close it.
“What he’s proposing is an information session, which residents have already said is not what they want. They want a full, public consultation,” she said Tuesday.
A small, satellite station in eastern N.D.G. would not be an adequate replacement for the current station, which is already small and is closed at night, she said.
“He’s trying to make it look like he’s the superman who comes in and saves the day,” Montgomery said.
Perez said he learned of the proposed deal only when Rotrand announced it in council.
“I don’t think it’s what N.d.g.ers want. I think what N.d.g.ers want first and foremost is to have their station remain open,” he said.
“The crux of the issue is consultation,” Perez said.
If such a proposal is being considered, it should be presented to residents before any decision is taken so they can give their views, he said.
Perez accused Rotrand of flip-flopping, saying he had opposed the closing until taking the initiative to approach the administration with his proposal.
In council, Christian Arseneault, the Projet Montréal councillor for Loyola, thanked Rotrand for bringing the proposal for a mini-station to the administration’s attention. He said that he raised the idea with Rosannie Filato, the executive committee member responsible for public security, who agreed to look at it.
“Our administration will seriously study the idea over the coming months,” he said.
Last month, Projet Montréal councillors in C.D.N.-N.D.G. defeated a motion to keep Station 11 from closing in the fall after plans to close it were made public in February.
Montreal city council has also rejected a motion proposed by Montgomery and seconded by Perez to halt the station closing and place a moratorium on all station closings until consultations are held.
A petition opposing the closing has garnered more than 2,800 signatures.