A large group of residents from the rural area of La Broquerie attended council to discuss road conditions and municipal taxes at Wednesday evening’s council meeting.    

Keith Puzianowski is chair of the recently formed La Broquerie Rural Roads and Infrastructure Committee, which is a citizen committee representing the interests of rural taxpayers relating to municipal services and the rates that the ratepayers pay. 

He spoke at Wednesday evening’s delegation on behalf of the committee. 

Puzianowski said the committee was formed in response to a public outcry regarding the large rate increase this year and poor infrastructure maintenance.

“The intended purpose of this committee is to work collaboratively with all stakeholders, this includes the council, in the hopes to raise the quality of our roads and related infrastructure by acting in an advisory capacity.” 

He said he strongly believes that community involvement is necessary to ensure that their tax dollars are being used effectively and responsibly, and told council that he suspects this rate increase was done without a critical eye toward efficiency, and the committee hopes to learn if council did their due diligence. 

The committee will request records on load tickets and details about the road maintenance program, including plans, administration, strategies for improvement, criteria for maintenance, oversight of material delivery, and long-term plans for roads and drainage.

"Our responsibility here as our council is to manage the municipality, not your group." - Tetrault

Puzianowski mentioned the traffic gravel the RM uses on the 302 is only a base, but they should use both a base and a finisher. 

“From a number of road building experts that I've consulted with, there is a consensus among them that the two materials need to be used together to work effectively, that is in most areas.” 

He asked council meet with people who have knowledge on these matters. 

Puzianowski reiterates the committee was formed as a solution to streamline communication and have direct community involvement in understanding what the plan is for their roads in the short and long term, and working collectively to find solutions.  

“I don't think there's a person among us who believes that neglect over several decades can be fixed in one construction season, but the ratepayers including myself and our committee, would like to know what the long term plan is,” he says. “Where will we be at in five or 10 years from now? Hopefully not squabbling over the same dirt roads.” 

He informed that Reeve Ivan Normandeau reached out to him on two occasions, and the two had a meeting to discuss having the committee recognized by council so they can get on the public record. 

“I did get a sense there was a genuine interest in moving forward, the Reeve made a comment to take it back council, and that's where I understand it died a quick death.” 

Puzianowski mentioned the Southeastern Regional Municipal Committee.  

“As I understand, it is comprised of council members from a handful of RMs, you get together monthly and consult one another on what to do about the sorry state of our collective roads.” 

He continued. 

“Council has squandered an opportunity to work directly with the people that put you in those seats, instead, you decided to go elsewhere seek guidance. Firstly, it is a shame that this council has demonstrated a lack of confidence in the talented and knowledgeable, committed people within their own community, to even bother to sit down with them as a group and have an informed conversation about the current state of our roads and what is best to do about it.” 

Puzianowski said they want to talk and work collaboratively with council, but all he has seen so far is roadblocks. 

“The optics don't look great, especially when preference is to keep your citizens at arm's length. I'd strongly encourage council consider reaching out to us as this community group who speaks for a very large part the rural areas here and our concerns.” 

After the end of the presentation Deputy Reeve Laurent Tetrault asked Puzianowski to share his expertise with council, in which he responds. 

“My expertise is zero in this, but it's far enough to be able to go and talk to people who are experts in this. I have consulted with quite a number of people, Mr. Tetrault, have you?” 

Tetrault responded with another question. 

“If you were on council and you have a delegation like you just did, and you have zero experience, and we have a foreman and staff that have years and years (of experience), an expert in gravel testing, an engineer, who would you listen to?” 

Puzianowski answered. 

“What I would do, taking a look at the sorry state of our roads and the status quo that you've maintained for the last couple of decades, I would say that's not a great track record. And I would see other people with expertise to get second, third and fourth opinions.” 

Tetrault commented. 

“You need a bit of a history lesson, you have zero experience and you're trying to tell people what to do.” 

Puzianowski said that while he has no experience, he is willing to seek out experts and ask questions. 

“If I'm not a road building engineer, a civil engineer, does that make my point any less valid? That we should be taking a look at other avenues to improve things because status quo over the last decades is proving to be useless and our roads are degenerating further.” 

Tetrault said he has travelled 70 kilometers of the RMs roads on a monthly basis for the last 50 years. 

“And you know what? 50 years ago, or even 35 years ago, I had six farmers with tractors on standby to help people to get unstuck on our municipal roads.” 

He said at the worst time for roads this year, 35 rural residents were all able to drive to the municipal office for a delegation. 

“There was mud because I went on those roads too, my truck, same as everybody else. And the changes that have happened in this municipality in the last 50 years is unbelievable. And we are, as a matter of fact, the envy of a lot of people in this country.” 

He said that the very same day of the council meeting, the RM was providing many services. 

“There was trucks hauling gravel, there was a lawnmower cutting the grass alongside the municipal roads, there was dust proofing being installed, and the roads were all good and I never got stuck on any road.” 

Tetrault concluded. 

“Our responsibility here as our council is to manage the municipality, not your group. And in two years there will be an election and you can run and then you can manage it and be part of it.” 

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