Discussion of new trucks causes stir

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Heron Bay is in need of some new pickup trucks but talks on the matter became somewhat heated Monday when council met for its regular committee meeting.

Councillor Ken Chartrand chairs the Public Works Committee and asked that the matter be tabled as he was not made aware of two additional trucks that had broken down and were in need of replacement since the last time a truck tender was discussed.

“I would like that we table this and have no further discussion on new trucks until I can sit with our CAO to discuss it,” he said. “As Public Works chair, I don’t like not knowing about things like this at the last minute, I should have been made aware of these two new trucks before tonight’s meeting.”

CAO Gilles Legacy said that the trucks were only recently added to the agenda because they had only recently been listed as needing replacing.

“That’s why it’s on the agenda, to talk about tonight,” he said. “I asked you to call me earlier today but you didn’t, so that’s why you don’t know all the details, which I will give you now.”

Legacy said that originally, a ¾ ton pickup truck was needed in the Charlo section of the town to use, amongst other things, to haul around the heavy roller used in asphalt repair. 

Since that truck was put on the list, Legacy said two other pickups were identified as needing to be replaced.

“We have another truck in Charlo that’s used by the fire chief that’s done,” he said. “We also have a utility truck here in town that the transmission went on for the second time and we can’t keep spending money to fix it so we’re putting it on the list.”

Chartrand noted that he’d like a complete list of not just the trucks in the town’s fleet, but also information on who drives them and if they are taken home at the end of the work day. As well, he said a complete inventory of all town vehicles should be taken.

“I would still like to have these (two additional) trucks tabled,” said Chartrand. “I want to know more before we decide how to proceed.”

Mayor Normand Pelletier stepped in and said that Chartrand should speak to Legacy over the course of the week and that the matter will be voted upon during Monday’s regular monthly council meeting.