PAB practices paving waste not, want not

By RYAN KING

PORT AUX BASQUES — Residents on Legallais Street and Lillington Avenue may have noticed some roadwork being done in the area recently, and work will continue for the next three or four weeks as they make their way up towards the centre town. However, some of the spots getting new asphalt seems to have raised a few eyebrows.

Town employees patching roadways were spotted paving some private property, particularly a small boat ramp entrance and part of a driveway. One of the properties that was paved belongs to a relative of a town worker. But Town Manager Leon MacIsaac promises there has been no misuse of taxpayer monies and that the town workers are not making batches of asphalt to use wherever they see fit.

“If they’ve got asphalt left over at the end of the day, and they’ve got a small portion, they’ll probably place it on the most convenient place on the side of the road. But to say they would use a full batch to accommodate somebody, I would say no,” states MacIsaac.

MacIsaac says the town was aware of where the paving was being done, and that the work was approved.

Regarding the driveway paving, MacIsaac clarified, “That was damage from winter operations snow clearing that they repaired for him.”

When it came to the boat ramp, there was a small amount of leftover materials from the Lillington Avenue repairs earlier that day.

“Staff had indicated that they had material left over from the day, and rather than bring it back to the yard, they just dropped it on the side of the road. Whether it was his brother, it wasn’t specifically made to do his driveway for him either,” notes MacIsaac.

If there is material that is left over from the work at hand, town workers will look for a likely spot close to the area of the work.

“If anybody wants it, they can have it, rather than letting it go to waste,” says the Town Manager.

MacIsaac also says that there have not been any problems related to any improper use of road materials in the past.

“Staff are well aware that they are not to do any personal affairs or anything like that with the materials that they have. If they do, they will face suspension or dismissal altogether.”

Proper usage of materials for jobs around the town is something that town focuses on through proper training of the town’s employees.

“There have been multiple employee talks about what they can and cannot do as an employee with the town as well,” says MacIsaac.

MacIsaac also added that any resident seeing anything that they are unsure of, or something they find suspicious, should always contact the town office who will follow up to see that the concern is resolved.

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