MONTREAL - Montreal's new Interim Mayor-designate, Michael Applebaum, says he is "humbled" after winning the post in a tight vote, 31 to 29, against Richard Deschamps of the Union Montreal party.
Exactly which councillors voted for whom in the secret ballot vote remained a mystery Friday afternoon.
Applebaum said he feels Montreal has entered a new era in which councillors from different parties will govern the city together in a coalition administration.
Applebaum will be sworn in on Monday and is expected to name an executive committee with members from Projet Montreal, Vision Montreal and Union Montreal, Applebaum's former party.
He could also name some of the 12 other independents to the 11-member committee, which is highest decision making body at city hall.
Applebaum said his priorities include battling corruption and bringing in a budget with a 2.2 per cent property tax hike ceiling.
A very disappointed Richard Deschamps said he would try to work with Applebaum. Deschamps said there are some areas of agreement and he would meet with Applebaum to discuss them. Deschamps said he would promote some if his recent ideas to fight corruption.
Deschamps, who represents LaSalle on the city council, said he intends to serve out his term as a councillor but he deflected questions about whether or not he would finish out his term as a Union Montreal party member.
He said he plans to meet with his caucus members to see what to do next with the party.
Richard Bergeron, leader of Projet Montreal, said he is committed to working with Applebaum in a coalition. He said he hopes Projet will get two seats in the executive committee.
Louise Harel of the Vision Montreal party said she is happy about the result because it signals hope and the end of a secretive way of conducting business at city hall. Harel said it is too soon to say how many seats her party should have on the executive committee.
Applebaum's election as interim mayor also means he must quit as borough mayor of Cote des Neiges/Notre Dame de Grace, one if the city's most populous boroughs, with 170,000 residents.
An election among the five borough council members to choose one of their own as interim borough mayor will likely be held within 10 days, Councillor Lionel Perez, who represents a district in the borough, told The Gazette.
Currently there are three independents on the borough council, one Projet Montreal member, Peter McQueen, and one Union Montreal member, Helen Fotopulos.
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