Two days after the MRC Pontiac meeting, it now seems clear that the vote of the deputy mayor of Île-du-Grand-Calumet, Alice Meilleur-Pieschke, counted and the bio-park resolution has been rejected on a vote of 9-9.

Some defenders of the bio-park resolution, including the mayor of Litchfield, Colleen Larivière, had questioned the legitimacy of Meilleur-Pieschke's vote, asking for proof authorizing her to represent the absent Mayor Serge Newberry.

The Director General of the MRC Pontiac, Bernard Roy, had to seek legal advice as a result.

According to Roy, the legal opinion obtained explains that nothing authorizes the MRC to take away Meilleur-Pieschke’s right to vote.

"We have not identified any element in the law, case law, or in the policies and practices of the MRC Pontiac, which authorizes us to withdraw the rights and privileges of a duly appointed substitute mayor who acts in replacement of the mayor, in particular during a vote by the regional council of the MRC,” said Roy.

This means that last Wednesday’s vote remains and that the resolution on the bio-park is rejected.

"Therefore, the vote on the support proposal for the bio-park project during the extraordinary council meeting held on February 3, 2021 includes the vote of the deputy mayor of Île-de-Grand-Calumet. The final result is 9 votes in favor and 9 votes against. The resolution is therefore rejected," Roy said.

In addition, Roy specified that the MRC Pontiac has obtained proof of the legitimacy of Meilleur-Pieschke to replace the mayor of Île-du-Grand-Calumet, Serge Newberry.

The Warden of the MRC Pontiac Jane Toller agreed to make a statement to CHIP 101.9. She confirmed the statement by Roy. She also said she wanted to reassure elected officials who voted in favor of the resolution, by affirming that all businesses were welcome to settle in the Pontiac.

Toller hinted that in the next discussions concerning the economic revival of the Pontiac, the energy from waste project, would be addressed.