The recent bylaw proposed by the Town to severely restrict garage sales has struck a chord with residents who feel that such a bylaw is unfair. Indeed, the local papers have been flooded with letters to the Editor by locals who are upset and bewlidered at the decision by elected officials to basically ban garage sales.

DestinationKnowlton.com wrote about the issue in the article "Garage Sale Bylaw Rains On Yard Sales" and since then there have been rumblings and groans from hundreds of Lac Brome taxpayers who feel this is just too much government interference! Apparently, petitions are being circulated to protest this bylaw but the Town seems reluctant to budge on the issue.

The monthly public meeting on Monday March 3rd at the Brome Lake Community Center is looking like it could be one of the best attended meetings in a long time with this issue seeming to be rubbing everyone the wrong way.


While some folks can't believe the audacity of Town officials who are keen on imposing restrictions on what many consider the mundane and common-place practice of garage sales, other are wondering why this has become such a hot-button issue given the long list of problems Lac Brome has to deal with. The monthly council meetings are often poorly attended and we've seen some where there were less spectators than elected officials at the meeting! There are issues and decisions like raising taxes, improving infrastructures, developmentt expenses, environmental protection and public safety policies that are often decided by the Town and there is sometimes barely a peep out of Knowltonites (or are we Knowltonians?). How could something like garage sales suddenly make so many people want to stand up on their phosphate-free soap boxes and cry foul? It's only a garage sale after all...

Or is it? Hmmm...looks like this council meeting could see more action than Monday Night Football!

But then again...when someone has a garage sale it can often look something like this:



so...maybe they have a point?