Chelsea mayor seat up for grabs
Chelsea, Cantley mayors out; La Pêche’s running again
After 12 years and three mandates, the MRC des Collines’ wealthiest municipality will be under new management come November, with the announcement that current Chelsea Mayor Caryl Green will not seek re-election in the upcoming municipal elections.
Since her election in 2009, Green’s tenure has overseen a transformational expansion of the municipality, including: the construction of the Meredith Centre; the development of Transcollines bus service; the creation and expansion of La Fab Arts Centre; the advancement of the seniors’ home in Farm Point; the rebuilding of the Hollow Glen dam; the Rails to Trails project (now the Voie Verte Chelsea), and the creation of La Maison des Collines centre for palliative care.
“It truly has been an honour and a privilege to serve the residents of Chelsea,” wrote Green in her announcement on June 7. “Thank you to the many individuals and groups who volunteered time, energy, and expertise. Your collaboration makes our community a wonderful place to live, work, and play.”
Green will be stepping down in order to run for warden of the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais in the fall, the first time the warden will be elected through universal suffrage, meaning voters in all seven municipalities will get to choose rather than the MRC’s council of mayors, who chose her in 2017.
Along with Cantley Mayor Madeleine Brunette, who also said she will not seek re-election, at least two municipalities in the MRC des Collines will be getting a new mayor in the fall.
“It is goodbye time for me,’ Brunette told The Low Down. “My decision was made when I was re-elected in 2017. I gave a lot, and I am very proud of my various achievements. I am ready for part-time retirement and different challenges at my time and convenience.”
In La Pêche, Mayor Guillaume Lamoureux said he will be seeking re-election, though he has not formally announced his campaign or platform.
“I will be making an announcement soon,” Lamoureux told The Low Down.
To be eligible to vote in the municipal elections, you must live in the municipality and the province for at least six months as of September 1, or the date of publication of the notice of election, or have been, for at least 12 months, the owner of an immovable or the occupant of a business establishment in the municipality.
Municipal elections are scheduled for Nov. 7, and polling stations will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on election rules and eligibility, you can visit electionsquebec.qc.ca.