Pointe-Claire’s windmill is one step closer to its restoration after the adoption of a new bylaw by the city’s council, but that bylaw did not pass without opposition.

During a regular council meeting on Jan. 16, council adopted a motion creating a nearly $1 million fund for the restoration and protection of the windmill.

Both Mayor Tim Thomas and Councillor Bruno Tremblay voted against the bylaw: In speaking before the vote, Tremblay said the agreement “leaves things far too open and uncertain,” but declined to comment on the specifics of the deal, which is still in negotiations. Tremblay declined to comment further on his opposition to the deal.

Thomas said adopting the agreement would “force us, effectively, to start all over again with a new process that could add, potentially, years of delays.” He also said he doubted the Archdiocese would accept the agreement. “It may indeed work, but I think it’s tenuous.”

Thomas said under the current tentative agreement, residents of Pointe-Claire will not have representation on the committee overseeing the restoration of the windmill. He also said the Archdiocese will need to front the cost of the project before receiving any reimbursement from the City.

Talks have been ongoing for decades to restore the windmill, which was built in 1709 and is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal. The Archdiocese first pledged to restore the windmill in September 2022, with help from government partners and the City’s nearly $1 million contribution. Sticking points throughout the negotiations have included the right for the public to access the windmill site and the possibility of residents incurring long-term maintenance costs.

A previous tentative deal to restore the windmill, reached in 2022, was not accepted by council.

Councillor Claude Cousineau, who voted for the deal on Tuesday, said it was “not a perfect deal, but it is really the best deal for Pointe-Claire citizens and their tax dollars.”

The Archdiocese did not respond to a request for comment.

Mayor addresses December walkout

Also at the Jan. 16 council meeting, Mayor Thomas addressed council’s walkout at the Dec. 5 council meeting. At that meeting, several councillors walked out following an argument between council and the mayor, leaving only councillors Claude Cousineau and Paul Bissonnette. (Councillor Tremblay was absent from the meeting). The councillors returned several minutes later.

Following this dispute, Councillor Brent Cowan published an open letter calling for the mayor’s resignation.

The disagreement was related to the windmill restoration project, and to a perceived abuse of speaking priveleges by the mayor. At the Jan. 16 meeting, Mayor Thomas argued he was within his rights as mayor during his Dec. 5 opening remarks on the windmill project.

Bylaw PC-2712 dictates rules for city council meetings, but says nothing about opening remarks by the mayor or councilors. “Yet remarkably, councilors left the chamber because of this and are justifying their departure from council chambers because I somehow broke rules and procedures that don't exist,” said Mayor Thomas. “The rules governing all this don't exist. So how could I have broken any rules? I don't fully understand. Most importantly, does this kind of minor procedural disagreement merit a walkout and calls for resignation followed by an expensive byelection? I leave those thoughts with you folks.”