Municipality Week, September 8 to 14 – What is the role of public works in the municipality?
Created in 1988, Municipality Week promotes municipal democracy and organization. It is an opportunity to recognize the role and work of municipalities, through the people who work in them, and the democratic life associated with them. A municipality provides services to its population, implements projects and organizes activities. It is at the heart of the daily lives of its citizens.
Are you aware of all the tasks that the Public Works and Fixed Assets Department has to perform throughout the year?
The Public Works and Fixed Assets Department is the largest department within the municipal administration, both in terms of budget and number of employees. Over the course of the year, its employees struggle to fulfill the many tasks that are part of its mandate for the good of the community. To do so, they must cover a territory of over 246 km2, one of the largest in the Brome-Missisquoi MRC, which includes no less than 65 km of paved roads and 135 km of gravel roads. They provide the municipal services described below not only to our population (4,538 people according to the latest census in 2021), but also to all second-home owners (up to 5,000 people).
Here’s what public works specifications look like:
Maintaining the road network
This is the big part of the public works department’s mission: road network! Road infrastructures must be constantly maintained, and our crews criss-cross the territory to repair or resurface asphalt roads, scrape or reload gravel roads, check or replace culverts, clean and maintain ditches, and maintain road signs.
On top of this, each year, depending on the projects adopted by the Board in line with the budget, the department may undertake additional major worksites, which it must analyze and prepare for months in advance.
This year, the department has to its credit :
- Western Street reconstruction project ($6 million budget);
- Replacement of the Réal Road culvert ($3.6 million budget);
- Replacement of the Vallée-Missisquoi Road culvert ($1.4 million budget);
- Creation of the new street extension of Dépôt Street (former Filtex lot);
- The resurfacing of 1.2 km of roads: Bromont Street, Church Street, Alleganys Road, the post office parking lot and Dépôt Street with its new extension; in addition to recurring asphalt repairs;
- Marking of 77 parking spaces (including 35 new spaces) in the post office parking lot and on Dépôt Street and its extension;
- Drainage and curb installation on the former Filtex site;
- Repair of the road salt warehouse;
- Installation of a fence to secure the Academy well.
Maintenance of municipal buildings, parks and green spaces
As owner of municipal buildings, parks and grounds, the Town has a duty to ensure their upkeep. This task is entrusted to the Public Works and Fixed Assets Department, which makes the necessary repairs, embellishments or improvements, depending – once again – on the budget allocated by Council. Landscape maintenance, with the pretty flowers that embellish our municipal spaces every summer, is part of this specification. Much of the work is carried out in collaboration with the Leisure, Community Life and Recreation Department, which manages projects related to municipal infrastructures such as sports fields.
This year, we can cite some fine examples:
- The completion of the new basketball court, which will be publicly inaugurated on October 20;
- The installation of a cabana at the municipal swimming pool;
- The installation of solar bollards along the bike path and in part of Goyette-Hill Park;
- The addition of picnic tables.
Water and wastewater management
The Town of Sutton has two separate water supply systems (one in the mountain sector serving 3,500 people and one in the village sector serving 1,500 people) and two wastewater treatment systems (a treatment plant at the municipal garage for the village and mountain sectors, and a treatment plant at Sutton Junction). Just two employees have the onerous task of ensuring the production and quality analysis of the drinking water distributed to the population, as well as the proper operation of the sewage systems.
Every day, they are out in the field to :
- Take drinking water samples at various points along the water supply network;
- Conduct weekly laboratory analyses of drinking water quality, including that of the spring on Route 215, and take any necessary action;
- Publish an annual report on drinking water quality;
- Check that the pumps at the drinking water filtration plant (located on the mountain) and at the Mud and Highland reservoirs are working properly;
- Measure sludge levels in wastewater treatment plants;
- Verify proper operation of both wastewater treatment plants;
- Maintain fire hydrants;
- Maintain line valves serving residences connected to the municipal aqueduct.
In addition, the Public Works Department took recently care of :
- Installation of generators at the filtration plant, Mud reservoir and Highland reservoir, to ensure continuity of drinking water service during power outages.
Waste collection
Unlike many municipalities, the Town of Sutton handles its own collection of garbage, recyclables and large waste. It only subcontracts the collection of organic materials. Depending on the annual schedule and the sectors involved, the collection team, made up of just 3 people and two trucks, criss-crosses the territory in alternating shifts, starting in the early hours of the morning. The residual materials are then taken to the Cowansville regional ecocenter, while recyclables are taken to a center in Granby.
Snow removal
Given the size of our territory and the length of our road network (200 km to clear!), this service mobilizes a dozen trucks and people. Depending on the snowfall, the team sometimes sets up in the middle of the night until all roads are clear, including downtown sidewalks.
A video, made in 2023, illustrates the colossal and indispensable work carried out by our snow removal team to ensure safety on our roads in winter.
Maintenance of the municipal vehicle fleet
The Public Works and Capital Assets Department handles in-house mechanical maintenance for the entire fleet of municipal vehicles, including :
- A grader
- A backhoe (small peeler)
- One mechanical shovel
- Three wheel loaders
- Snow removal and transport trucks
- Collection trucks
- Park maintenance vans
- Service vehicles, including first responders
- Fire trucks
Only one chief mechanic and one mechanic work full-time to ensure this service: in addition to regular maintenance, they can be called in at any time in the event of breakdown.