Crystal Meloche acclaimed as LaSalle's first female mayor

The municipal election period just kicked off and already two mayors and a deputy mayor have been acclaimed.

Long-time Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara will keep his job and LaSalle will have a new mayor, in Crystal Meloche.

“It's really exciting,” said Meloche on the front porch of her LaSalle home Tuesday morning.

She put her name in for the position after current Mayor Mark Bondy announced he wouldn’t be seeking re-election. Throughout the nomination period, no other candidate stepped forward to challenge her.

“I hope that means that they're happy with what I've been doing and they think I'm going to do a great job in the new role,” Meloche said.

She’s been on LaSalle council since 2010, serving two terms as councillor before being acclaimed as deputy mayor in 2018.

This marks the first time in town history a woman has been elected mayor.

“It's such a great feeling to know that I'm a part of history and you know, I've two girls so I hope they look up to me and see that I've done something and that they can do anything as well,” Meloche said.

Political scientist Lydia Miljan notes women are also running for mayor in Kingsville, Leamington and Lakeshore.

“I think is refreshing to see,” said Miljan. “So many women are seeing that there is a place at the table for them and they see themselves in those positions, and they're putting their names forward.”

Also acclaimed in LaSalle is the town’s next deputy mayor, Mike Akpata.

“But now that I don't have to run a campaign, that doesn't mean I sit back and I fold my arms go, ‘that's it coast for four years,’” said Akpata, a decorated member of the Canadian Armed Forces and former Windsor police officer. He’s honoured to be — in his words — “the 2-I-C” (second in command) to Meloche and promises to work together to keep the town on the right trajectory.

Instead of campaigning over the next two months, Akpata is going to reach out and speak with the small business community to learn their vision the town.

“It's a less stressful, less pressured time for me. But at the end of the day, I have to prove that the position that I've been graciously allowed to fulfill that I'm the right person that I've earned the respect and the trust the community, and then I'm accessible,” he said.

Three local mayors ran un-opposed in 2018, including Kingsville’s Nelson Santos, Lakeshore’s Tom Bain and Tecumseh’s Gary McNamara.

McNamara, who first served on Tecumseh council in 1991 and has been mayor since 2003, was once again acclaimed ahead of this election.

It’s rare for an open seat to go uncontested, but according to Miljan, Meloche and Akpata are known commodities in town and hypothesizes potential challengers are either satisfied they will do a good job, or are unwilling to launch a costly campaign against them.

“They could have signaled early enough that people thought,’ oh, yeah, you know, they have a track record. They have a history and it would be difficult to launch a campaign,’” Miljan said.

The rest of the candidates across Windsor-Essex will have to get elected the old fashioned way, during the upcoming municipal election on Oct. 24, 2022