Police called to clear leaf-blower users from council meeting

Police were called to clear disorderly citizens from a city council meeting in affluent, normally peaceful Beaconsfield on Monday evening.

The issue? Leaf blowers. During a protracted and unruly question period, insults were hurled and there were reports of a threat being levelled at one councillor.

Immediately following the question period, council voted five to one in favour of the bylaw restricting the use of leaf blowers during the summer.

Beaconsfield resident Toni Lemieux gathered on city hall grounds with around two dozen protesters before the council meeting began. Her concerns were shared by others who were there to speak their minds.

“I am against the way the process was handled,” Lemieux said. “There was a lack of consultation and transparency. My tax dollars paidfor a (leaf blower) survey and the mayor refuses to release the results.”

Inside chambers, Lemieux joined the long lineup waiting to ask questions.

Citizens voicing support for the partial ban and those against the ban sparred with each other and with Mayor Georges Bourelle. Calls for civil behaviour went unheeded. Council listened to statements of support and pleas for a stay on the vote to allow for other options to be considered.

Bourelle said further consultation would not change council’s mind.

The regulation, which comes into effect in 2019,will prohibit the use of leaf blowers between June 1 and Sept. 30.

The time frame allows leaf blowers to be used during spring and fall clean ups, but not during the summer months.

Bourelle said health concerns and the impact on the environment helped shape the council’s decision. He said the research was unequivocal.

“W e were taken aback by the seriousness of the health issues (especially for) children, the elderly and those that have pre-existing conditions,” he said.

Prior to question period, he read from a prepared statement, which detailed the health and environmental concerns about the use of leaf blowers.

He quoted from studies and included data gleaned from research papers. Citizens shouted over his reading of the statement, questioning the age of there search papers andthe sources of the data.

Those opposed said the ban will put contractors out of business andthat more reasonable options should be considered, such as restricting use to weekdays during working hours or even increasing efforts to enforce the restrictions already in place.

Contractors in attendance said imposing more restrictions will mean an increase in cost for clients and force the contractors to use other methods to clean away debris, including using water or even snowblowers.

But it was the mayor’s refusal to share the results of the leaf-blower survey that really whipped those opposed into a tizzy.

Bourelle said all the documents relating to the decision taken by council, including the survey, wouldbe postedon the city’s website following the vote.

Last week, he told the W est Island Gazette that the survey was commissioned to be used as an internal document to help inform council about the level of awareness citizens had concerning leaf blowers andthat it was only one element considered by council during the decision-making process.