By Erin Griffiths
Lakeland Ridges Municipal Council has voted to publicly release records on asbestos and air quality issues at the Meductic Community Centre once the municipality’s current legal matter concludes.
The decision followed a lengthy discussion over transparency and whether an earlier council motion had adequately committed the municipality to making the information public.
In May of this year, two charges were laid under the Occupational Health and Safety Act for improper asbestos handling during renovations at the Meductic Community Centre. Specifically, the municipality is accused of failing to adopt a code of practice for asbestos work and to take every reasonable precaution to ensure the health and safety of anyone using the facility. The charges stem from a 2025 project to relocate municipal offices from Canterbury to Meductic.
WorkSafeNB issued a stop-work order for the centre in August 2025 following a positive asbestos test in the building. While the renovations were initially expected to cost just under $30,000, the required specialized cleaning, air testing and consultant fees eventually doubled the total bill to nearly $60,000.
Councillor Rhonda Alward brought forward an updated motion calling for documentation, including test results, reports, recommendations, emails, and other communications concerning asbestos, air quality, and mitigation work at the community centre, to be made public within one month of the legal matter being finalized.
Alward said she supported delaying the release while the legal matter remains before the court, but believed council should have amended its previous motion rather than rescinded it.
“It really shouldn’t have been rescinded,” Alward said. “It should have been amended.”
She also wanted the public meeting requirement made explicit.
“I just want it to be clear that the information will be released publicly, at a public meeting.”
The original motion had called for documentation covering the previous two years. Alward’s new motion extends the period to three years.
Councillor Judy Cole questioned whether council could legally commit to releasing the information after the court matter if disclosure was limited.
The discussion ultimately centred on ensuring council’s commitment to transparency remained in place without interfering with the ongoing legal proceedings.
The motion passed 3-2, with Barb Glanville and Judy Cole voting against.
WorkSafeNB identifies additional issues
The asbestos discussion followed an update on a recent WorkSafe inspection at the community centre.
WorkSafeNB identified several items requiring follow-up, with a Sept. 24 deadline.
The municipality is to install additional asbestos warning stickers throughout the building, including on pipe joints and elbows where asbestos is present. Complete removal of asbestos from the building was estimated at approximately $24,000, making continued management and warning measures the immediate way to deal with the situation.
Council wants community centre cameras restored
Council also discussed the building’s security-camera system.
Alward questioned why an older exterior camera system, which she said provided “excellent clear views” around the community centre, was no longer operating.
The existing newer system provides coverage at the entrance but does not monitor the entire building.
Council agreed to investigate whether the former system can be restored or upgraded.
Kirkland Hall ramp deemed unsafe
Council approved approximately $7,255 in work to replace the steps and wheelchair ramp at Kirkland Hall and bring the access up to current code.
A contractor inspected the structure Sept. 12 and reported that the existing ramp is rotten and dangerous, with boards containing holes.
The contractor recommended removing the ramp rather than simply blocking it off.
“It should be removed,” the council was told.
The existing steps are also nearing the end of their life, although they were expected to last through the winter.
The current ramp also has an accessibility problem. The existing structure leaves a roughly 5.5-inch lip at the doorway.
The initial quote to replace the steps and ramp was $4,755.35. Council was told bringing the ramp up to code would add approximately $2,000 to $2,500.
Council chose to proceed with the code-compliant option, using funds from the municipality’s 2026 surplus budget.
Code of conduct complaints headed to October meeting
Council also debated how to handle code of conduct complaints.
Councillor Alward said complaints dating back to July and August had not yet been brought before council despite provisions in the municipality’s bylaw requiring complaints to proceed to a regular council meeting.
“So we’re definitely in violation of the bylaw,” Alward said.
She noted that a complaint made against her and delivered Aug. 10 had gone through the required initial process, but said she had also heard from people who submitted complaints and received no response.
CAO Susie Patterson explained that the bylaw’s seven-day requirement applies to the initial process and notification of the person against whom a complaint is made. The complaint is then referred to the clerk to be brought before council at a regular meeting.
Council debated contacting the lawyer who drafted the bylaw for a quote to review the process and ensure council understands how to handle complaints.
Alward argued the outstanding complaints should not simply remain off the agenda while council waits for legal advice.
“We’re only making it worse for ourselves,” she said.
Council voted to place the outstanding complaints on the agenda for its October regular meeting.
Website overhaul proposed
Councillor Barb Glanville also raised concerns about the municipality’s website, including broken links, navigation, access to administrative functions, privacy and security features, and photographs that do not adequately reflect the community.
“It’s more geared for businesses,” Glanville said.
She suggested the municipality explore improvements that would make the site more useful to residents, including better access to events and potentially a municipal newsletter.
Council agreed that Glanville will work with Patterson and the municipality’s current website contractor to identify possible improvements and determine the associated costs before returning to council.
Public safety committee approved
Council also voted to establish a public safety committee ahead of upcoming budget discussions.
The committee is intended to allow fire chiefs to bring their needs and recommendations to council.
The proposal was described as a way for emergency service leaders to identify needs through a dedicated avenue before bringing recommendations back to the full council.
“I think it’s really important that our chiefs have somewhere that they can go and say, ‘Okay, hey, we need this, we need that,'” Hans Stevens, proposing the committee, said.
The proposal prompted some debate, including concerns that the municipality may be too small to require additional committees. It was also clarified that committee meetings would be open to the public.
Other council decisions
Council also approved moving forward with resurfacing White Birch Lane, Meductic. Approximately $30,000 previously allocated in the 2025 and 2026 budgets has been transferred to reserve, with another $17,563 available through the capital renewal plan, for approximately $47,563 in total funding discussed. Council spent time clarifying the portion of the road that is municipally owned before approving the resurfacing project.
Residents can also expect new garbage, recycling and organics carts, although the municipality expects delivery to take until approximately November or potentially longer. The municipality has distributed collection calendars for September through December.
