Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter
BARRY’S BAY – Judith Maika, widow of Robert Maika, gifted the Township of Madawaska Valley (MV) an extraction permit for a gravel quarry on Highway 62 in Combermere. The estate of Robert Maika gifted the permit. Mayor Mark Willmer said Judith approached the township in late 2024, “regarding taking over the lease,” for the quarry and council provided direction to staff to pursue the opportunity. The Ministry of Natural Resources had to approve the transfer of the permit.
“I think (the gift) does benefit the community,” Willmer said, “and it will continue to for many years ahead.”
Council approved a motion from Coun. David Shulist to rename the quarry in honour of Robert Maika.
Vacant council seat
Chief Administrative Officer Suzanne Klatt, at the Mar. 4 meeting, explained the process of filling the vacant seat. The options were to hold a by-election, appoint someone who ran in the 2022 election, opening an application and interview process from which council would choose a candidate or directly appoint an eligible individual without an application and interview and not referencing the 2022 election. “It would be the highest votes,” Klatt said of the option to choose someone from the 2022 election. Ernie Peplinski had the fifth-highest vote count.
“I am asking today if council requires time to decide or to review the options,” Klatt stated.
“I agree with the recommendation that we take time to decide what route we will do,” said Coun. Mary Blank to open discussion. She also asked if council decided to make a direct appointment, could it change course later on. She received an answer in the affirmative.
“I agree with the decision to give it some time to think about it,” added Willmer. He noted the 60-day timeline and how fast that could go past and encouraged council not to leave the decision to the last minute.
Council passed a motion to declare the seat vacant. Council did not, at the Mar. 4 meeting, come to a decision about how to fill the vacancy.
The vacant council seat was not on the agenda for the Mar. 18 council meeting. Willmer raised it under Unfinished Business.
Willmer raised the open council seat created by the resignation of Joseph Olsheski.
“I have talked to most of council if not all of council about how I see this moving forward,” Willmer stated. “We need to move it forward. It has to be done in open session.
“We did make a decision at the last council meeting that we would directly appoint and we will be doing that. I am proposing that we do it at the April fourth committee and council meeting. Council will be free to nominate anyone of their choice for the council seat.”
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Brittany Tomasini interjected, saying, “At the last council meeting, direction was not provided through a resolution,” to make a direct appointment for the vacant seat.
Klatt quickly drafted a resolution for council to appoint a new councillor directly. Council approved the resolution.
Blue box transition
Tyler Peters from Greenview Environmental Management updated council at the Mar. 18 meeting on status of the township transition to the new ‘producer pays’ regime of recycling which starts Jan. 1, 2026. Municipalities have been transitioning to the new system since July 2023 and all transitions must be complete by Dec. 31, 2025. MV council chose a one-day transition period.
Under the producer responsibility regime, there are eligible and non-eligible sources of recycling materials. Non-eligible include commercial operations, churches, community centres and daycares. Eligible sources do include multi-residential buildings. The general breakdown is that anything residential is eligible and anything non-residential is ineligible. Municipalities must decide how they will manage non-eligible sources. They can require the entities to handle their own recycling, they can set up centralized collection points for recycled materials or do collection on a fee-for-service basis or they can arrange for non-eligible sources to be collected by a third-party service provider on a fee-for-service basis. Circular Materials, the umbrella group managing the new process, selected Miller Waste Systems to collect recyclable materials from eligible sources in the local area.
The ad hoc committee managing the transition for the township has not developed a recommendation for handling of non-eligible sources as of Jan. 1, 2026. Peters noted that, as of Jan. 1, 2026, curbside collection of recyclables will still happen in Barry’s Bay and centralized collection will take place at three locations: Bark Lake, Wilno and Combermere. The township will collect materials at those locations and will enter into an agreement with the service provider to have the materials removed from the collection sites.
Peters stressed the importance of educating and informing residents and businesses about the changes to recyclable materials collection. He also informed council that the costs of managing non-eligible materials is higher than for eligible because the non-eligible were not included in the overall tendering process from the province. Each municipality is managing its own agreement for non-eligible materials meaning there are fewer economies of scale. He suggested that MV may want to evaluate a group agreement with other nearby municipalities to create some economies and lower costs for non-eligible materials collection.
Willmer concluded the discussion saying he has concerns about the process and costs for non-eligible materials and looks forward to hearing what Greenview can come up with as a plan for MV.
Waste site final closures
Council approved motions to apply to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks for final approval to close and cease monitoring at the Paugh Lake, Barry’s Bay and Wilno former landfill sites.
robert@thevalleygazette.ca
