West Island mayors, councillors join oversight committees
By Rhonda Massad
www.thesuburban.com
During Kirkland’s city council meeting, Feb. 3, Mayor Michel Gibson announced that Councillor Andre Allard has joined Montreal’s contracts watchdog, the Commission d’examen des contrats.
St. Laurent Mayor Allan DeSousa proposed that Allard be appointed during the Montreal Agglomeration Council’s Jan 30 meeting, and Mayor Gibson seconded the motion.
The commission is composed of 11 elected officials: two from the demerged municipalities, and the remaining nine from the Agglomeration Council. Of those nine, six come from Mayor Denis Coderre’s majority party and the remainder from opposition ranks.
Gibson explained that Allard has undertaken a very time-consuming job. He is now responsible for reviewing all city contracts worth more than $10 million.
He will also be on call when contracts come in to be assessed. Each contract is reviewed and must conform to criteria that the commission has developed.
Mayor Gibson told The Suburban that, in the interest of transparency, the moment that he learned of the vacant spot on the agglomeration commission, he immediately advised all of Kirkland’s elected councillors of the opportunity.
“The objective was to be open and to foster teamwork,” he said.
“There were some prerequisites to the appointment” he added, “[qualifications] such as a [professional] background in law, accounting or engineering.”
Other noteworthy appointments to the Agglomeration Council of Montreal include Baie d’Urfé Mayor Maria Tutino and Ste. Anne de Bellevue Mayor Paola Hawa, who will sit on the commission that oversees water, the environment, sustainable development and nature parks. Dollard Mayor Ed Janiszewski will represent West Islanders on the Montreal transit authority while Kirkland Mayor Michel Gibson will join the economic, urban development and housing commission. Pointe Claire Mayor Morris Trudeau will join the public works and transport commission.
Two weeks ago, The Suburban reported that Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle had joined Montreal’s finance committee, joining vice-chairman Westmount Mayor Peter Trent.
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(Photo © Rhonda Massad)