As his time on city council heads toward the finish line, Mayor Jonathan Cote has been reflecting on some of the experiences he’s had as a councillor and mayor.
Cote, who was first elected to city council in 2005, served three terms as a councillor before being elected mayor in 2014. On Jan. 1, he announced he would not be seeking re-election in the Oct. 15 civic election.
In recent weeks, Cote has taken to social media to share anecdotes about some of his experiences while serving on council and campaigning for office – including the time he tracked dog poop throughout a couple’s home while doorknocking.
“I have had a really good experience over the past 17 years. I must admit this is probably going to be one of the most unique jobs I will ever have. Through that time I have had a few funny stories along the way,” Cote told the Record. “I started sharing on Thursday evenings a few stories and I have a few more to share. Generally, it’s to show a lighter side of local government.”
Cote said elected officials are either “put up on a pedestal or they are thrown into the gutter” – and neither of those spots are real. He’s posting some of his reflections on Twitter and Facebook.
“I am hoping some of these stories can actually better humanize the role of elected officials and the work of city councillors in the work that they do in community, and hopefully just bring a little bit of light to the type of work and funny situation we often find ourselves in,” he said.
In one recent post, Cote recounted how a strong supporter of the former mayor wanted to meet with him – not to talk about politics as he’d suspected, but about the need to be sure to eat during the mayor’s busy workday.
“He indicated that he wanted me to do well in this role and wanted to help. For the next eight years, this man regularly dropped by my office. He didn’t want to meet with me; he was only there to deliver a month’s supply of almonds,” Cote wrote. “I quickly learned that hangry Jonathan was not a very effective mayor, and the bag of nuts ended up being a lifesaver on many occasions.”
Cote said he hasn’t yet solidified a specific career plan for life after serving on city council.
“I am starting to put my mind to that a little bit more. I am still kind of keeping my options open. Although I am looking forward to stepping back from politics, I still have a really strong passion for cities. I think there’s probably a very good chance my next adventure will in some way involve something that’s still very much in the process of city building and building better cities,” he said. “I am hoping to find a good role that can help me continue to contribute in that way.”
Follow Theresa McManus on Twitter @TheresaMcManus
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