A particular situation, to say the least, two towns in eastern Montérégie recently lost three of their municipal councilors who died in their early sixties and will have to go to by-elections.
Two of them were elected from Rougemont and died only 10 days apart. The third was a member of the municipal council of Beloeil.
COURTESY PHOTO / Ville de Rougemont
Mario Cote
In Rougemont, Councilor Jeannot Alix, a farmer, died of brain cancer at the age of 62 on April 23, while his colleague Mario Côté, who owned the business “Verger Roger Côté”, died on May 2 at the age of 63 following lung cancer.
“Quebec had its Guy Lafleur and Rougemont had its Jeannot Alix. It was a name that was known throughout the municipality, says the mayor of Rougemont, Guy Adam. For his part, Mario Côté was a successful apple businessman who was also known to everyone. The community is shocked to see two people known to everyone who disappear within ten days. It is unusual”.
Elected for the first time last November, Guy Adam affirms that he was able to count on the support of these two experienced elected officials who had sat on the municipal council for approximately 15 years.
“It’s a bit of the memory of our municipal world of Rougemont that leaves us with them. Their many years on the municipal council are a good illustration of their commitment to their community and the support of the population for them,” observes the mayor.
COURTESY PHOTO / Ville de Rougemont
Jeannot Alix
Enjoy every moment
Their departures leave a void on the municipal council which will have to be filled by the election of two councilors towards the end of August. In the meantime, the municipality will hold a commemoration in tribute to the disappeared during the next municipal council on June 6 in the presence of their respective families.
Mayor Adam also wanted to pay tribute to his two elected officials whom they considered his friends by writing a text published in the municipal newspaper.
“You taught me to cultivate the art of compromise in a collaborative atmosphere. Your positions reflected your many years of experience in public affairs,” he wrote.
According to him, the premature departure of the two chosen ones when they should have started to enjoy life, “reminds us of the importance of enjoying every moment that we spend on this earth”.
COURTESY PHOTO / City of Beloeil
Pierre Verret
A by-election in Beloeil
About thirty kilometers from Rougemont, in Beloeil, Councilor Pierre Verret, elected for the first time in 2005, died on April 6 following a heart attack at the age of 61.
Mr. Verret was at the origin of the project “In my street, we play”, which aims to encourage young and old to play freely in the residential streets chosen by the citizens. Since its launch in 2016, this initiative has been taken up by several Quebec municipalities.
A by-election will be held on June 12 to fill his vacant seat on city council.