Read the full story here.
Posted by Brome Lake Election Watcher, 10:32 pm, November 1st 2009
Votor Participation: 50.3% (2499 out of 4966 eligible)
Gilles Decelles - 52.8% (1309 votes)
Pierre Marchand - 34.9% (865 votes)
Stanley E. Neil - 10% (247)
Michel Ayotte - 2.3% (57)
Councillor 1 - Donald Gagne - Incumbant elected without opposition
Coucillor 2- Marta Gomes - 46.4% (192 votes)
Councillor 3 - Jacques Lecours - Incumbant elected without opposition
Councillor 4 - June Call - 57.9% (234 votes)
Councillor 5 - Thomas McGovern - 39% (170 votes)
Councillor 6 - Patrick Ouvrard - 66% (269 votes)
Congratulations everyone! Good luck in the next four years!!
Elections are upcoming in Brome-Lake. Time for all citizens to get out and make a choice as to the leaders they want at the head of the future direction of the Town. It's time to forget about any gaffes, taxpayer waste, political favoritism, stupid decisions and blatent mismanagement that may have been blamed on the last Mayor and Town Council and look towards a new future for Brome Lake.Probably the most high-profile position in the election is for the position of Mayor. The voters are being asked to make a choice now for chnage. What is needed for any Town is leadership that is respected and on November 1st TBL will have a chance to achieve this! Voters will be able to elect a new Council and Mayor who they believe will act with respect and vision within a philosphy of sobriety and historical understanding of the English and French residents of the area.
A new Mayor and Council that encourages and listens to the views of residents. Some monthly meetings of Council have been downright embarassing as long-term residents were belittled and poo-pooed as being sticklers and trouble-makers who dared question a decision. There was often criticism of poor communications between residents and the Town. Criticism that the council was acting without consulting the public. Criticism that the Mayor and Council were acting as if some Silent Majority were pulling the strings!
It's time for the Mayor and Council to be accountable. Wouldn't it be great if a poorly perfoming municipal politician could be turfed out on their ear if they had a vote of non-cofidence like they do in Ottawa? That won't likely happen so the voters will have to choose wisely and ensure that the qualities in the candidate are those that match their own philosphies and values.
Is the candidate in your election someone with a family and raising children in the town? Does the candidate have a profession that is something you could respect...a lawyer or an engineer or a real estate agent or a writer are not often cut from the same moral fiber. What are the issues your candidate holds as a priority? What has the old leadership done wrong that should be done differently? What has your candidate done in the past...a briefcase full of degrees or real world experience. Do they have a political affiliation? Are they Nationalists, Separatists, Anarchists, Naturalists, Buddhists?
We will hear the promises and rhetoric but won't see how the level of spirit and enthusiasm will be integrated in the end until after the vote when it's too late if it doesn't work out! It's a bit like having a pre-arranged mariage...the bride and groom often don't see each other until their wedding night. Let's hope the courting during this election will match the honeymoon and future anniversaries better than in the past!
Brome Lake - Lac Brome Election Candidates
Mayor -Mairie
Gilles Decelles
Stanley E. Neil
Michel Ayotte
Pierre Marchand
Councilor - Poste de Conseiller (1)
Donald T. Gagné (Incumbant -Candidat sortant) Elected without opposition - Élu sans opposition
Councilor - Poste de Conseiller (2)
Georges Bristol (Incumbant - Candidat sortant)
Colleen Davis
Marta Gubert Gomes
Councilor - Poste de Conseiller (3)
Jacques Lecours - Elected without opposition - Élu sans opposition
Councilor - Poste de Conseiller (4)
June Call
Alan R. Gauthier (Incumbant - Candidat sortant)
Councilor - Poste de Conseiller (5)
Stewart Bacon
Donald J. Davison
Thomas McGovern
Shelley Lee Mizener
Councilor -Poste de Conseiller (6)
Donald Wing
Lawrence Fairholm (Incumbant - Candidat sortant)
Patrick Ouvrard
In a recent episode of the La Voix de l'Est, Michel Laliberté spoke with Brome Lake's Mayor. It was made official that Mayor Wisdom would not seek re-election on November 1st 2009. As translated by DK with apologies to the French Language!:
Michel Laliberté
La Voix de l'Est
(Lac Brome) Richard Wisdom will not return to City Hall Lac-Brome. The colorful mayor retires from politics. He left, but takes care to identify candidates that would like to see him succeed or Pierre Marchand.
Mr. Wisdom, 69, says he wants to take more time for him and his family. A great lover of scuba diving, he wants to devote himself more in the coming years, especially in Costa Rica where he and his wife have bought a house. It has also consume a lot of books, something he could do as much as it wished in recent years. "I'm healthy and I enjoy it," he said in an interview yesterday morning in La Voix de l'Est.
If Mr. Wisdom has taken so long to announce his decision was that he was not very impressed by the candidates pledged to deprive him of his position. Two former mayors are in the running, and Gilles Decelles Neil Stanley, and Michael Ayotte. Mayor Wisdom would not extend time on them, except by saying that none of the three can not "grow" the city.
Quite the contrary for Pierre Marchand, believes Mr. Wisdom. "It can really help the city continue on a good road."
From the businessman of 42 years, Mr. Wisdom said that a candidate is honest, intelligent, someone who "will not try to reinvent the wheel".
Mr. Marchand is very little known, however, it remarks. At that, the mayor replied bluntly: "I was not well known either in 2003 when I introduced myself. But people trusted me and I won. "
Mr. Wisdom will work alongside her foal in the coming days to raise awareness in the community.
Richard Wisdom gives a positive assessment of his six years at City Hall. He listed several projects and issues where the City has played a crucial role sometimes, now support: building the community center, creation of the Festival of Knowlton, developing a plan against blue-green algae, establishment of a tower cell phone, opening a public market (vegetable products).
His biggest disappointment: the services of the Sûreté du Québec. Lac-Brome, said again and again the mayor, pays too much for services received. "Yes, we are very disappointed. But we will not give up, "said he insisted. He has great hopes on the arrival of the Bromont MRC Brome-Missisquoi. "We'll have an alternative."
Mr. Wisdom thanked the council members for allowing him to live "an extraordinary experience." "I'm sure it'll miss," he said.
While none of us here at DestinationKnowlton.com can understand how the "foal" fits into the election picture some pundits have postulated that Wisdom made a wise move by not running in November since he likely understood that he had the proverbial snowballs chance in Hell of getting re-elected.
If the exiting Mayor now throws his support behind one of the candidates it could be asked if this is the kind of endorsement that would actually do more damage than good? I guess the "foal" will find out soon enough!
Vote in the Brome Lake Municipal Election on
November 1st 2009
Editors note: People have often asked us at DestinationKnowlton.com if one of us would like to run for mayor because we sound like such "know-it-alls"! Listen...we don't just SOUND like "know-it-alls", okay! Politics isn't for us because politics either requires that you break promises that are made during elections or else it requires you hypnotize the population like a Ponzi Scheming Market Fund Manager while squirreling away as much of your ill-gotten gains as possible during your tenure before you fly south to live a life of snorkeling amongst the clear green waters of the tax havens after the "jig is up" or the election is lost!
At least that's how we see most elections and politicians! Comments welcome...it's a free country right!!
posted by DestinationKnowlton.com on Sunday, November 01, 2009 
8 Comments:
Mayoral candidate Stanley E Neil seems to be using the BromeLakeBlog as the corner stone or soapbox for his electoral campaign. Not a wise move. I've got to wonder about his judgement. As one of your previous blogger states: "it is difficult to gain respect when one is so quick to slander and shame others."
Brian Timmins, (published in Brome County News 10-20-09)
In a few weeks Lac-Brome will have a new mayor. This is important for all of Lac-Brome but more so to the future of Knowlton. Under a cloud of negative pressure for over a decade, Knowlton needs to be restored and repositioned as the business heart of Lac-Brome; as well as the heart of tourism for an even larger area
Two mayoralty candidates face the job with no experience, just as the current Mayor did, and we know now that the town’s GM ran the show from day one; the mayor was never able to even introduce any of the goals he expounded before his first election, and then he went secret and Mr. Bourret became the Town spokesman. Without a doubt Mr. Bourret is a formidable challenge to any newcomer; he’s done what he wanted for a decade without restraint; he runs everything. None of us can afford another term with Mr. Bourret running the show; no matter how engaging a personality a candidate might be, if he has to rely on Mr. Bourret to teach him the ropes, he might as well just stay at home.
The other two candidates have experience. One is positive about Knowlton, the other very negative. One has a track record of personal lawsuits, slashed tires, and intolerance, and he’s still fighting today. The other was a successful Mayor, and a successful no-nonsense business leader. He can get results from middle management. He has business sense that can boost our tax base and our business base, he will not dole out hundred of thousands of our tax dollars to support civic groups that can’t get enough respect to support themselves.
Some will read the above and say that it’s not fair to their candidate but the proof that it is not only fair, but quite accurate is that no names were used, yet everyone preparing to vote in Lac-Brome will easily recognize exactly who each candidate is.
Response to Brian Timmins (Brome County News)
WOW! This is quite the puzzle. Let me try filling in the blanks on what Brian is trying to tell us. According to the eminent “Lakeside Stalker”.
“Without a doubt Mr. Bourret is a formidable challenge; he’s done what he wanted for a decade without restraint; he runs everything. None of us can afford another term with Mr. Bourret running the show. (GET RID OF BOURRET?)”
“The other two candidates have experience. One is positive about Knowlton (DECELLES?), the other very negative (NEIL?). One has a track record of personal lawsuits, slashed tires, and intolerance, and he’s still fighting today (NEIL?). The other was a successful Mayor (DECELLES?, and a successful no-nonsense business leader. He can get results from middle management. He has business sense that can boost our tax base and our business base, he will not dole out hundred of thousands of our tax dollars to support civic groups that can’t get enough respect to support themselves. (CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? KNOWLTON FESTIVAL? RENAISSANCE LAC BROME? INCENTIVES TO PROMOTE HOME OWNERSHIP FOR YOUNG FAMILIES?)”
I read Mr Timmins letter in the Brome County News and it's no secret which candidates he refers to.
I was leaning somewhat towards Mr Neil but I am now very uncomfortable with a mayor who would carry that kind of personal baggage with him into the Mayor's office.
What about our future councilors?
Other than the published carefully chosen words in the Tempo and Brome County News, do they have something to say?
Destination Knowlton should forward questions to them so we can make up our mind.
In my district there are four candidates: Bacon, Mizener, Davison and McGovern, how can we trust any of them based on three paragraphs in the BCN or Tempo? Who are these people? What are their plans?
Who do they support as mayor? Do they have a vision etc etc.
Instead of talking of Crogan the Knowltinator maybe we should focus on what these candidates will do for Knowlton.
So far none have knock at my door and I am here full time, an easy 5 minutes walk from downtown... Hello! Anybody out there?
I have seen Mr. Stewart Bacon (running for councilor in LAkeside)around town. Can someone explain me why his car is plated in Ontario? Yet he wants to run for councilor in Lac Brome... I did not think much of that a couple years ago, but now I see that his nice Volvo is never plated in Qc, does it mean he lives in Ontario and comes here on the week-ends?
Do we need a weekender for councilor?
I have not heard much from the other councilor, is that a strategy like in survivor (the famous TV show) keep under the radar and get voted in?
On the other hand Stanley Neil has kept ON the radar with his comments on the police and his posting in BromeLakeCrogh putting his proverbial foot in his mouth...
Hope the deer hunting season does not keep voters in the woods!!!
Go Don Davison! Supporter of the Arts community and sound business practices for Councilor - Poste de Conseiller (5)
My Dad loves the eastern townships and surrounding areas. It will be a great privilege for him to serve his community in this position.
Peter Davison & Veronica Clough
To Peter Davison...
Wished your dad had done some advertising. Since I heard none and could not ask my glass ball what he would do for councilor, I had to vote for someone else... Too bad! I was considering him, but just based on him not taking any issues in the local papers or this blog or other methods, it was like going on a blind date for me...
Better advertise earlier next time! It works!
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