In Newport, the mayoral candidates are new to the scene. Neither has yet participated in democratic life by serving on a municipal council. Retired, with a wealth of experience in the management of personnel, projects or quality, they both intend to preserve the well-being of their constituents within the limits imposed by the green zone carpeting almost the whole of the municipality.
Richard Grey
Richard Gray is seeking the mandate of mayor of Newport for the first time. He intends to compensate for his inexperience in municipal life with his accomplishments as manager of employee groups and quality supervisor in a textile factory where he worked for many years. This is not, according to him, an obstacle, since he followed with interest the work of the council headed by Lionel Roy, ex-mayor.
“Mr. Roy did a good job. He kept the focus on the citizens. I want to continue his work,” announced the candidate. Mr. Gray has complete confidence in the team of aldermen with whom he would have to work, if elected. “They have a lot of experience and the new councillor, Ms. Amanda Hamel, was previously councillor in Cookshire-Eaton,” he said. “I want to keep the quality of life as simple as possible. I don’t need to make big plans, I want to keep on being good neighbours with La Patrie and Cookshire,” he concluded.
Robert Asselin
Retired from CN, Robert Asselin wants to offer his energy and time to the people of Newport. Without experience in the municipal world, but rich in that of managing projects, personnel, and finances, he wishes to protect the quality of life in the area. His dearest wish will be to maintain a strong link “between the two solitudes,” implying bringing together the Anglophones and Francophones of the rural municipality.
Mr. Asselin, who has resided in the hamlet of Randboro for over 30 years, acknowledges that development in Newport is constrained by the fact that the majority of the space is zoned green. “Our reality is different from other municipalities because we have four main districts and very few services; a restaurant in Island Brook which is open three days a week and a mechanic in Randboro. If Newport were to participate in projects with the MRC, there would have to be something in return,” notes the candidate, who wishes to continue managing his rural municipality as did the outgoing mayor, Lionel Roy.