Council Minutes of Years 1929 to 1941, inclusive, are missing
The Westmeath Township Minute Book(s) that would record the years 1929 through to the end of 1941 are missing from the collection housed at the Cobden Municipal Building. If and when they come to light they will be inserted on this site.
This is an important loss because it would be interesting to read how the municipality dealt with the Dirty Thirties and the economic hardships of the Great Depression.
12th January 1942
Elected Officials
1942 Appointments
Clerk: A. Davison, Sanitary Inspectors: W.F. Davidson, Maise Gervais
Medical Health Officer & Indigent Doctor: Dr. E.T. Wood
Poundkeepers: Harry G. Bromley, Donald Thrasher, John Wiggers, Lemox Dougherty, Abe Robinson, James Bennett, Harris Brown, W.P. O’Brien, James J. Barr, H.P. Brown, Jas. M. Metcalfe, Thos. A. Gervais, Wesley Berry.
Fence Viewers: George E. Smith, James J. Barr, M.E. Bromley
Sheep Valuators: Dalton Price, H.P. Brown, M.E. Bromley
Weed Inspector: Algie Davison
School Attendance Officers: Mrs. Thomas Rollins, W.A. McMullen, Nelson Leach, Joseph Davis.
Assessor: Garnet Kenny
Winter Road Overseers: Wallace Poff, John Hudson, George H. Smith, C.G. Kenny, Stephen Kenny, Randolph Dunlop, M.E. Bromely, Andrew Gervais, Epp Robinson, Thos. H. Collins, James J. Barr, Wm Fletcher, Wm. G. Fisher, James Bennett, W.A. McMullen, W.R. Conley, Thomas Broome, Dyer Kenny.
Tax Collector: Garnet Kenny
8th May 1943 Moved by Garnet Dougherty, seconded by H. G. Bromley, that the Reeve and Treasurer be authorized to purchase a Victory Bond out of the funds of the Municipality in the amount of $5,000.00, which money is now in the Bank of Nova Scotia, on condition that the provincial government has no control whatsoever in the matter. Carried
The same amount was approved for purchase in May 1944.
8th May 1943 Moved by Garnet Dougherty, seconded by H. G. Bromley, that the by-law for the appointment of a Road Superintendent have the blanks filled in with the name of Ephraim Robinson, at a salary of 60 cents per hour (transportation included). Read 3 times and Carried.
4th August 1945 Moved by Harry Condie, seconded by Nelson Leach, that the by-law to raise funds to provide grants to Returned Persons from overseas who have served in His Majesty’s Armed Forces -or His Majesty’s Allies- during the present war, and that such persons be given a grant of $25.00 by this Municipality, and that an amount of $3,620.76 be placed in the current estimates for the year 1945, and be set aside for such a purpose, and this be passed and submitted to the Dept of Municipal Affairs for approval. Read 3 times and Carried
14th January 1946 Moved by Harry Bromley, seconded by Garnet Dougherty, that the by-law to provide for the Total Expenditures on Roads for the year 1946 under the Highway Improvement Act have the blanks filled in with the amount of Eight Thousand Dollars $8,000.00 and be now read a second and third time, and passed and submitted to the Dept of Highways for approval. Carried
Moved by Nelson Leach, seconded by Harry Bromley, that this council do hereby agree to give to the family of _____ _____ the sum of three dollars $3.00 per week in groceries, etc., to be purchased at Rupert Kenny’s store with instructions to Rupert Kenny not to exceed that amount and that the clerk be instructed to notify the ____ family of this motion. Carried. [Family name has been withheld here]
Social Welfare: Prior to beginnings of universal health care in Western Canada in the late 40’s, municipalities cared for those unable to care for themselves. Over the earlier years, as has been shown in previous Council Meeting Minutes, the Township paid for vaccinations and paid local doctor fees and hospital fees in Pembroke and Renfrew for indigent Westmeath Township residents.
They also, on a case by case basis, waived taxes or provided cash or groceries, for those too injured or poor, or otherwise too physically or mentally incapacitated, to cope on their own.
This is the first environmental initiative of the Westmeath Council:
8th June 1946 Moved by Garnet Dougherty, Seconded by Harry Bromley that the Clerk be instructed to write to the Dept of Health and Game& Fisheries of both provinces of Ontario and Quebec as follows:
That this council has been informed that the Temiskaming Mill has for a number of years been dumping all kinds of refuse and waste from the Mill into the Ottawa River making the water unsanitary and dangerous for drinking purposes also detrimental to the fish in the river and also harmful for bathing purposes, and the Council requests the immediate attention of both governments to have this matter cleaned up. Carried
8th February 1947 Moved by Garnet Dougherty, Seconded by Harry Bromley that a public meeting be held in the Town Hall Beachburg on March 5th, 1947, to discuss the putting in of a water system in the hamlet of Beachburg and that the Clerk be instructed to have notices printed and mailed to the people who have signed a Petition requesting the water system. Carried
1948 Elected Officials:
1948 Appointments:
Special Meeting called 12th May 1948 to discuss purchase of firefighting equipment.
12th May 1948 Those present were Reeve McLean, and Councillors Gervais, Johnson and McBride, also Fred Potter of the Bickle-Seagrave Ltd., and Fire Chief R. Dey of Pembroke. After much discussion on the matter and after thorough investigation on the Bickle-Seagrave machine, it was moved by Albert Gervais, seconded by Arndell McBride, that this council hereby purchase from the Bickle-Seagrave Ltd one Triple Combination Pumper, Booster and Hose truck, according to the proposal now submitted to council by Fred L. Potter of the Bickle-Seagrave Ltd dated May 10th, 1948, including extra equipment attached to proposal now submitted to council at a cost of $10,968.93. Carried
The Council then appointed the following persons as volunteer fire-men to be in charge of the above equipment when taken to any fire within the Township or elsewhere:
Note: a follow-up meeting was requested by some Westmeath ratepayers who felt that the cost was too high and that Westmeath Village would not be adequately serviced with the vehicle housed in Beachburg. After further meetings and discussions, the motion held.
New Road Grader:
31st May 1948 Moved by Albert Gervais, seconded by Arndell McBride that this council accept the tender for the grader of Craig Equipment, registered and hereby purchase an Austin Western Power Grader from the Craig Equipment Reg’d as per plans and specifications of tender submitted to Council dated May 4th 1948 (under tender for power grader) including giant snow plow for the sum of $15,993.00, without bull-dozer. Carried.
10 July 1948 Moved by Arndell McBride, Seconded by Stewart Johnson that the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the Township of Westmeath hereby make a motion to the Honourable Alphonse Fournier, Minister of Public Works, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, requesting that provision be made by the Federal Dept of Public Works to erect and complete a Bridge on the top of the Storage Dam on the Roche Fondu channel of the Ottawa River and a connecting link between Ontario and Quebec also it will connect with the proposed scenic highway along the Ottawa River on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. Carried
8th October 1949 Stewart Johnson gives notice of a by-law to establish a Community Centre located in Beachburg Village. Moved by Albert Gervais and W.L. Ross that the by-law establishing a Community Centre under Community Centre’s Act be now introduced and read a first time. Read 3 times and Carried
15th December 1949 Moved by W.L. Ross, seconded by Arndell McBride that the by-law to impose a special rate for Tile Drainage purposes on certain properties within the Township under the Tile Drainage Act now be introduced. Read 3 times and Carried
10th June 1950 Moved by W.L. Ross, seconded by Stewart Johnson that the bylaw for the establishment of an outdoor skating rink only as a community centre, in accordance with a petition from over 50 percent of the ratepayers of School Sections No. 7,12 & 14. The said rink to be situated in the village of Beachburg. Carried
8th July 1950 Moved by W.L. Ross and Arndell McBride that the following be appointed a board of directors to supervise the management of an outdoor skating rink in the Village of Beachburg
