Stanstead Council splits on vote to contribute to Septemberfest

The Stanstead Town Council Monday night voted in a split not to contribute $1,000 to Septemberfest and the celebration of the Stone Circle’s tenth anniversary. Councillors Guy Ouellette and Helene Hamel voted in favour of the contribution while Councillors Deb Bishop, Paul Stuart, Frances Bonenfant,

and Josh Richie voted against it.

The council had agreed before the event to contribute the $1,000, but did not make it official by voting on a resolution, Mayor Philippe Dutil said. Bishop pointed out at the meeting that Septemberfest is a non-profit organization, but it made a profit this year. Dutil said the town can give the money to other organizations that ask for financing.

Dutil said the issue raised a lively discussion in the private work meeting before the open council meeting.

In other action, the council voted unanimously to award the contracts for garbage, recycling, and compost pick-up to Arlie Fearon. The town will spend roughly $2,000 more for each. Fearon did not submit bids last year so Sani Estrie picked up garbage and recycling in Stanstead this year while Stanley Taylor picked up compost.

Fearon was the lowest bidder in all three at $73,677 for the garbage contract, $78,962 for recycling, and $55,079 for compost. Sani Estrie bid $93,000 for garbage, $96,886 for recycling, and 87,075 for compost.

The council agreed to pay Stanstead College a total of $8,400 for free skating at the Pat Burns Arena. The

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municipalities of Ogden, Stanstead East, and Ayer’s Cliff will contribute $1,120 each, which brings the total out of Stanstead’s coffers to $5,040.

The cost for the ice time is $140 for each hour-and-a-half, the mayor said.

Stanstead will now have to send projects out to bid only if the cost exceeds $50,000. The council adopted the bylaw change Monday night. The limit had been $25,000. Dutil said the government changed the regulation in 2017, but Stanstead did not change its bylaw at that time.

It’s more expensive to send a project out to bid, he said, because the town has to pay for other services, like engineering plans.

The council adopted the policy to become an Age Friendly Municipality. The designation would help the town get grants for projects for the elderly residents of Stanstead. The administration will send the policy to the Quebec government and form a committee.

Stanstead is asking for bids for the construction of a gazebo at the farmers’ market at the Tradition grocery store on Fairfax Road. The market is asking the government for $18,000 through the town. An earlier request for bids on a longer covered structure went unanswered, so the farmers’ market altered its plans to make it smaller.

Dutil called for a closed meeting of the council at the end of the public meeting. He would not give a reason for the need for privacy. He said the council would not take a vote on any issue.