The topic of “Big Box” stores versus small independent stores came up during council’s January 19 session with several councillors expressing anger at how some large department stores are letting customers buy more than just groceries and other essential items on their premises.
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“The majority of work is being done by our (union) employees,” said Mayor Assaly during a January 21 phone interview.
Council received a report from Human Resources Director Dominique Dussault during its January 11 meeting on the status of senior administration posts. Dussault continues to combine her HR duties with work as the interim chief administrative officer (CAO) for the municipality since Daniel Gatien tendered his resignation in mid-December 2020.
On Monday, the anniversary of the first recorded case of COVID-19 in Canada, the EOHU reported that 699 new cases had been reported in January so far. The figure was one higher than the 698 cases for all of December, which had recorded the greatest number prior to Monday.
Gatien presented his formal notice last month that he is stepping down as chief administrative officer (CAO) for the Town of Hawkesbury. Prior to his official resignation, Gatien had been on temporary leave for personal reasons for several months. Dominique Dussault, human resources director, has been serving as acting CAO during his absence.
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Les résidents et le personnel de la maison de retraite Saint Jacques à Embrun, de la résidence de soins de longue durée Champlain à L’Orignal ont été les premiers à recevoir le vaccin à Prescott et Russell. Les ambulanciers et le personnel du BSEO ont aidé à transporter et à administrer les vaccins Pfizer-BioNTech.
“This year has been an unusual year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, and its effect on our health system, our hospitals, our long-term care facilities, and our day-to-day services such as education, protection, and even our grocery shopping,” said Pierre Leroux, warden for the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR) during the December 17 inaugural meeting. “It is thanks to these essential service workers that our communities were able to limit the impact and the spread of the pandemic.”
Hawkesbury council members had some serious thinking to do over the Christmas holiday break after receiving a report from the Sustainable Housing Inititiave (SDI) during their December 17 session. The report provided council and municipal staff with an outline of the affordable housing situation for the town.
Between 900 and 1150 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine would be transported to the region next week, EOHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis said at a media conference on Friday afternoon. The doses would be distributed to long term care residents, employees and essential visitors.
The Ontario government announced on Thursday that online learning would be extended for most students in the province, which includes Prescott-Russell, as COVID-19 numbers continued to rise in the province. Elementary students were originally due to return to in-person classes on January 11, but will instead return at the same time as secondary students on January 25.
Two capital project items in the budget that please Mayor Robert Kirby include a new rescue van for the East Hawkesbury Fire Department and plans to change the heating system for the community centre in Sainte-Anne-de-Prescott from electric to propane.