MIKE ATHEY
FORT COULONGE Nov. 19, 2020
Councillors have voted in a new mayor for Fort Coulonge following a council meeting on Nov. 19.
The special vote saw former pro-mayor Debbie Laporte become the new mayor following the recent departure of former mayor Gaston Allard after he left for a new job opportunity.
Laporte had put her name in for contention and won by acclimation. She had previously served as . . .
Allard’s pro-mayor and had represented Fort Coulonge at many recent MRC meetings while Allard had been unavailable to participate.
Because Allard had retired less than a year from when his term was up, council wasn’t required to hold a formal by-election. Instead they opted to elect Laporte to sit for the remainder of Allard’s term with a new election to be held on Nov. 6, 2021.
The two had been in close coordination for the past few months and Laporte felt that there wouldn’t be any drastic changes in priorities as they worked to complete some of the initiatives they had started.
Laporte also had the historic honour of becoming the first female mayor of Fort Coulonge.
“Four years ago I never even thought I would run for mayor so it’s really an honour for the town,” said Laporte. “For all the women out there who think it’s not possible, it is.”
The night also saw Nathalie Denault voted in as the new pro-mayor. The village council is now represented by a majority of women who control four of the current six seats.
