A fractured and torn CCAVM

It took two rounds of voting to elect the president of the CCAVM, the community of municipalities of Auberive, Vingeanne and Montsaugeonnais. Jean-Michel Rabiet succeeds Laurent Aubertot, who was absent, for a five-month term in a climate of division among elected officials.

For once, Jean-Michel Rabiet, departmental councilor and mayor of Cusey, arrived on time for the community council meeting on Thursday, October 30th. Perhaps a sign… In any case, the 69 delegates were summoned to elect a new president and his executive committee following the surprising resignation of Laurent Aubertot from his position as mayor of Aprey. Consequently, his position as president of the CCAVM also fell by the wayside (jhm quotidien, October 26th). The first act of the community council was therefore to install a new representative for the municipality of Aprey, which appointed… Laurent Aubertot.

Before this special community council meeting began, one thing was clear: Laurent Aubertot was absent. He had been installed without being present. An incomprehensible, even unforgivable, absence for someone who, until recently, wanted to continue presiding over the destiny of the inter-municipal council. An absence made all the more clumsy by the fact that, as we learned later that evening, Laurent Aubertot was actively participating in the surgery conference in Saints-Geosmes… “He’s the one who put us in this situation, and he’s not even here,” lamented one delegate.

This situation also helps explain why the CCAVM is now a mere shadow of its former self. This was confirmed during the presidential election. Unsurprisingly, three candidates declared themselves: Sonia Biquet, head of the school board; Edith Sellal, the outgoing first vice-president; and Jean-Michel Rabiet.

All three were able to present their candidacies. "A need to regain serenity and balance," Sonia Biquet stated. Jean-Michel Rabiet described it as "an unprecedented situation" and also pointed out that the inter-municipal council must now "no longer isolate itself from the Departmental Council." Edith Sellal took responsibility for the legacy left by Laurent Aubertot, declaring: "Let us be proud of the work accomplished. I ask for your full confidence to complete this term."

Some delegates wanted to ask the candidates questions before the vote, but this was refused. The time for explanations had passed, and the voting began. It took two rounds of voting to decide between the candidates, demonstrating a deep division among the 69 delegates of the CCAVM .

In the first round, Jean-Michel Rabiet came out on top with 34 votes, followed by Edith Sellal with 27. Sonia Biquet, with 8 votes, held the key to the second round. She had called on her supporters to vote for Edith Sellal, but to no avail; her votes went to Jean-Michel Rabiet, who became president of the CCAVM with 38 votes to Edith Sellal's 31.

The county councilor is getting his revenge for the last elections, which he lost to Laurent Aubertot. "Laurent is an engaging person, but we realized he was much better suited to the non-profit sector than to politics," a delegate admitted. Jean-Michel Rabiet is taking over the presidency of a fractured and divided community where unity has vanished. He embodies a certain kind of break with the past, but one that is far from being shared by everyone.

Philippe Lagler

Jean-Michel Rabier proposed a small team of four vice-presidents: Kevin Bouly from Longeau, ^1st vice-president (Community Life, Culture, and Solidarity); Thomas Voillequin from Saint-Broingt-les-Fosses, ^2nd vice-president (Roads); Marie-José Maucolin from Prauthoy, ^3rd vice-president (Education, Children, and Youth); and Yves Vaillant from Bay-sur-Aube, ^4th vice-president (Environment). The only contested vice-presidency was that of Education, where Philippe Rachet (Val d'Esnoms) received 21 votes and Sonia Biquet 8. Philippe Rachet had previously held the position of Education Officer for some time, and Sonia Biquet was the outgoing team's head of the committee.

Ph. L.