With “Mayor's Notebook”, the mayor of Bagnols-sur-Cèze Jean-Yves Chapelet delivers anecdotes about his daily life as an elected official

Jean-Yves Chapelet will sign his book “Carnet de maître” on Saturday May 18 at the Occitane bookstore in Bagnols-sur-Cèze. D.R.

Jean-Yves Chapelet wrote “Mayor's Notebook", a testimony to the daily life of an elected official through anecdotes. He will sign his book on Saturday May 18 at the Occitane bookstore.

How did this book come to be??

I have a habit, I am a chemical engineer, and throughout my professional life I have written reports. Since I became mayor I have kept this habit, every evening I write in notebooks what has struck me. I wanted to share the daily life of a mayor, the little stories, the meetings that the mayor does not tell because they are not major issues. I had wanted to for a long time, but I took advantage of a rainy stay with my son in New Caledonia to write. Writing a book is also a little personal revenge, as it was when I was decorated with the National Order of Merit. I was a dyslexic child, I stuttered. At school, I had the anxiety of Monday morning and dictations! I didn't read much as a child, but I read the Communist Party manifesto when I was 14 years old… And after that I didn’t stop.

How did you choose the dozen anecdotes that you tell in your book?

These are anecdotes that struck me. I recontextualized them and wanted to be educational to show what the daily life of a mayor is like. I have others in store, and I am going to write a second book. There will be a chapter on confinement. This book may interest curious people, who perhaps have not opened a book for years. I would like people, when they close this book, to say to themselves: I understood what it is like to be mayor!

What is the role of a mayor?

It’s very complicated! The sine qua non condition is to love people. It’s organizing everyday life while keeping a long-term vision. After fifteen years in office, this is what remains the most difficult. This is why having experience, sufficient luggage and bottles is essential. The luck I have is to be in the right place at the right time in my life. I have experience as an engineer at the CEA, I have been through numerous associations, I have a long career as an activist in the Socialist Party, for 35 years, even if I am not I'm no longer there, I was a trade unionist at the CFDT, I spent a lot of time with the mayors… All of this led me to do what I do today. You have to know how to do everything when you are mayor, be interested in everything and know how to articulate everything.

Why did you offer to Carole Delga to write your preface?

Carole Delga, as president of the Occitanie Region, is the elected representative of the territory par excellence who has her hands dirty. I call her quite regularly, she accepted. Some will see a political alliance, this is not the case! Both of us share many values ​​and a fairly similar life path.

The proceeds from the books will be donated to the AgirAbcd association, why did you choose it?

I was part of it, I did academic support. It’s a very active association, with retirees who do a lot of things.

Mayor's notebook, 96 pages, Number 7 edition (12.50 euros).

Dedication by Jean-Yves Chapelet Saturday May 18 at the Occitane bookstore in Bagnols-sur-Cèze

Jean-Yves Chapelet will dedicate "Mayor's Notebook" Saturday May 18, à from 10 a.m. all day,   the Occitane bookstore on Place Mallet. The book is &eac;edité initially à 200 copies (it is possible to purchase online). Each sale will bring in 1  euro à the bookstore that decided to reduce its commission to help the AgirAbdcd association.

Other signing sessions will follow: at the Kiosk, rue Crémieux, & the Fnac in Bagnols, and perhaps also during the Gard mayors’ fair.