Charles Dickson, editor

Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

The Municipality of Rapides des Joachims has named Lucie Rivet Paquette as its new mayor.

The news emanated from Pontiac’s western-most municipality last Wednesday afternoon when Rivet Paquette, the only candidate in the election to replace recently-deceased mayor Doug Rousselle, was acclaimed to the position.

Born in Shawville and raised in Fort Coulonge, Rivet Paquette moved to Rapides des Joachims in her mid-teens where she got married and has lived ever since.

A school bus driver for 28 years and an employee with the Rapides-des-Joachims ZEC (zone d’exploitation contrôlée) for 20, she has also served one term as a municipal councillor. In the 2021 municipal election, she ran for mayor in a contest won by Doug Rousselle.

Since Rousselle’s passing in September, pro-mayor Stephany Rauche has served as acting mayor. On Nov. 3., Rauche turned the job over to Rivet Paquette who will chair her first public meeting of municipal council this week.