The Mayors’ Tour is back in operation after two weeks of inactivity. This interview marks the end of a chapter, because it is the last meeting with the mayors of L’Île-Perrot.
Right from the start, Michel Bourdeau jokes that he couldn’t have chosen a better time to serve his second term as mayor.
“With the floods of 2017, 2019 and the pandemic I hit the jackpot, exclaims Mayor Bourdeau. Kidding aside, I’m very happy that I was able to help the people in these very uncertain times.
It is a great honor to serve the people.”
Covid-19 pandemic
Mr. Bourdeau mentions that the Municipality of Terrasse-Vaudreuil was quite responsive at the start of the pandemic. He succeeded with his administration in freezing the tax bills of his fellow citizens. The municipality has pushed back the deadline for paying taxes by 6 months.
In addition to monetary support, the chief magistrate prepared for potential flooding.
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“In three years, we had two major floods in our municipality, he says. It was necessary to keep an eye on the rising waters in the spring in addition to the pandemic. With my team, we had prepared a plan so that the services were still accessible despite the pandemic.”
Michel Bourdeau also had to close the town hall. He could no longer afford to have people coming and going in municipal buildings and risk contaminating employees. People with queries must make an appointment before showing up on site.
Council meetings are also held by video conference, says the mayor. Asked about the non-presence of citizens at meetings, he explains that the municipality does not have the means to have an employee who takes care of managing people on the Web.
“We are 11 employees in total at Terrasse-Vaudreuil, he says. Four of them work in the public works department and the rest are in the office. We have a lot of work and our team is small. Unfortunately, firsthand will have to wait.”
He added that citizens have the right to ask their questions via email before 4 p.m. on the day of the council meeting.
Achievements
Having been at the head of the small municipality of 2000 citizens for almost 8 years, Mayor Bourdeau has several achievements to his credit.
His greatest achievement, according to him, is Terrasse-Vaudreuil’s performance during the two floods. He explains that everyone coordinated at the municipality,
the fire department and the volunteers to help as many people as possible. The mayor believes he has shown what the municipality can offer its residents in times of crisis. He gives as an example the floods of 2017, where there were free hot meals that were served in the morning, at noon and in the evening for the victims. Another example is the distribution of roses for Mother’s Day for residents who were fighting the rising waters.
Michel Bourdeau is also pleased to have negotiated two collective agreements with municipal employees.
“Everything was done according to the rules and we always came to an agreement”, exclaims the mayor.
The municipal tax hike freeze over the past 8 years is also a source of pride for the chief magistrate. He said the hike freeze shows the administration’s ability to manage public finances well.
The challenges of being part-time mayors
Several mayors in the region have part-time positions. Michel Bourdeau is one of them. We spoke with him about the challenges and the job a part-time mayor has to do.
Mr. Bourdeau has a full-time job with a pharmaceutical company in the West Island. In addition to his regular job, he spends an average of 15 hours per week in the municipality as mayor.
“It’s really not easy at first, he tells us. We often work evenings and weekends to manage everything on our to-do list.”
He adds that the support of his family is essential for him. At each election, he meets with his family to see if they agree that he is runs for re-election.
“I intend to represent myself for another term in 2021, announces the mayor. I have already spoken to my wife and children. They all support me in my decision.”
Michel Bourdeau goes even further in his job as mayor. He receives fire calls from the municipality directly on his cell phone. This way, he can go directly on the scene to provide services to the population.
“Whether it’s to have access to a shower, blankets or just a place to sleep, I will always be there for my citizens, he says. The people of Terrasse-Vaudreuil have a right to quality services and it is my duty to set an example.”
