The 2009 Magog municipal election was held on November 1, 2009, to elect a mayor and councillors in the city of Magog, Quebec. In the mayoral contest, Vicki May Hamm was elected over incumbent Marc Poulin.
Vicki May Hamm has a diploma in social work from the Cégep de Sherbrooke and has been involved in several public initiatives in Magog.[1] In 2003, she campaigned for an unsuccessful proposal to undo the merger of Magog Township with the city of Magog.[2] She was elected to the Magog municipal council in 2005, defeating incumbent councillor Michel Voyer in the city's fourth ward.[3] She chaired the toponymy committee after the election and was responsible for overseeing street name changes in the amalgamated community.[4] In 2006, Hamm was the only member of council to oppose a commercial re-zoning that allowed for the possible establishment of a Wal-Mart store.[5] She won an upset victory over Marc Poulin for the mayoralty in 2009.[6] During the campaign, she supported development in the Mont-Orford National Park.[7] In 2010, she initiated a re-organization of Magog's administrative structure.[8] By virtue of her position as mayor, Hamm also serves on the Memphrémagog Regional County Municipality, where she chaired the local development centre until her resignation in August 2010.[9] In November 2010, she took part in the reconstruction of an orphanage in Haiti.[10]
Marc Poulin was first elected as mayor of Magog in 1998, after serving as a councillor for twelve years.[11] The following year, he launched a significant residential development project and a December blood drive.[12] In 2001, he promoted a merger between Magog, Magog Township and Omerville; the provincial government mandated this merger the following year, and Poulin was elected as mayor of the expanded city in December 2002.[13] He declined an offer to run as a Parti Québécois candidate in the 2003 provincial election, saying that he was not a supporter of Quebec sovereigntism.[14] He was re-elected to a third term as mayor in 2005, without opposition.[15] Poulin was defeated in 2009 following a divisive campaign. He has openly criticized Vicki May Hamm, his successor, and has said that he may run for mayor again in 2013.[16]
Alain Vanden Eynden is a businessperson in Magog. He spoke against proposed development at the head of Lake Memphremagog in 2000, arguing that the area's tourist appeal depends on its environmental integrity.[17] He was elected to the Magog municipal council in 2005, winning a four-way contest in the city's fourth district.[18] In 2008, he supported a referendum initiative for a new library.[19] In 2009, Vicky May Hamm accused Vanden Eynden of conspiring with Marc Poulin to siphon votes away from her; this accusation was rejected.[20] In 2010, Vanden Eynden was president of the Magog Orford colors festival.[21]
Diane Pelletier is a former regional director of Quebec's ministry of culture and communications. She has also served as chair of the Comite du patrimoine paysager estrien, a group devoted to preserving landscapes. Her campaign in 2009 was centred on environmental issues.[22] She served as chair of Magog's environmental and technical services committee after the election; in 2010, she organized a municipal composting competition.[23]
^Nelson Afonso, "Magog coalition wants demerger vote," Sherbrooke Record, 17 June 2003, p. 1.
^"Meet your new municipal councils," Sherbrooke Record, 8 November 2005, p. 7.
^Joe Strizzi, "New addresses official in Magog," Sherbrooke Record, 5 November 2008, p. 1.
^Brion Robinson, "More business may be bad," Sherbrooke Record, 1 March 2006, p. 1.
^Doug McCooeye, "Hamm takes Magog's mayoral race," Sherbrooke Record, 2 November 2009, p. 5.
^Kevin Dougherty, "Two sides clash over Orford proposal," Montreal Gazette, 21 April 2010, A10.
^"Magog City Hall reorganizes," Sherbrooke Record, 21 May 2010, p. 2.
^Doug McCooeye, "Mt. Orford leaders show unity in face of implied division," Sherbrooke Record, 3 May 2010, p. 3; Doug McCooeye, "Hamm resigns as CLD president," Sherbrooke Record, 20 August 2010, p. 5.
^"Magog mayor, Vicki May Hamm to help in Haiti," Sherbrooke Record, 2 November 2010, p. 4.
^He defeated Noël Lacasse in 1998. See "Quebec election results stay true to polls," Montreal Gazette, 3 November 1998, A8; "Magog mayor makes pitch to lead new city," Sherbrooke Record, 14 November 2002, p. 4.
^Nelson Afonso, "Magog encourages new housing," Sherbrooke Record, 14 February 2001, p. 3; "Blood drive a success," Sherbrooke Record, 14 December 2004, p. 5.
^Daniel Huot, "Magog mayor stands alone for merger at MRC meeting," Sherbrooke Record, 5 October 2001, p. 3; Nelson Afonso, "Quebec forces three-way merger," Sherbrooke Record, 3 October 2002; Nelson Afonso, "Poulin elected to lead new city of Magog," Sherbrooke Record, 2 December 2002, p. 1.
^Rene Bruemmer, "Mayor says no thanks to PQ," Sherbrooke Record, 19 April 2001, p. 1.
^Patrick Lavery, "Magog mayor gets four more years: Four acclaimed to council, 16 vie for remaining seats," Sherbrooke Record, 18 October 2005, p. 3.
^Tom Peacock, "Magog residents divided over zoning issue," Sherbrooke Record, 12 May 2000, p. 4.
^"Meet your new municipal councils," Sherbrooke Record, 8 November 2005, p. 7.
^Rita Legault, "Library in the church 'just makes sense'," Sherbrooke Record, 24 November 2008, p. 1.
^Doug McCooeye, "Mudslinging in Magog; Hamm accuses Poulin, Vanden Eynden of conspiring to siphon her support," Sherbrooke Record, 22 October 2009, p. 1.
^"Magog-Orford fall color festival closes," Sherbrooke Record, 12 October 2010, p. 1.
^"Tourism's future depends on the land," Sherbrooke Record, 17 May 2007, p. 3.
^"Magog goes green," Sherbrooke Record, 4 November 2009, p. 2.
