the essential
During the AMR46 general assembly in Miers, elected officials and senators debated the crucial challenges facing rural communities, including health, education and local financing.
Saturday November 9 in Miers, around twenty mayors participated in the general assembly of the Association of Rural Mayors of Lot (AMR46). President Alain Mathieu, mayor of Flaujac, thanks the participants for their presence, senator Jean-Marc Vayssouze-Faure for coming and Caroline Mey-Fau, mayor of Miers for lending the room. He recalls the objectives of the AMR, its defense of rural communities and its commitment to representing the positions of rural elected officials in local and national bodies: “We are here to put our points of view across. There are favorable laws, others less so, such as the NOTRe law which could be justified in urban areas but perhaps less so in rural areas. »
The senator, president of the Association of mayors and elected officials of Lot underlines: “I am very attached to our 36,000 municipalities. We have to work together. I am here to listen to you. Small municipalities will be impacted by the future finance bill. We must alert citizens. We are here to defend public service. »
A decree prohibiting getting sick…
Rural health was the first item on the agenda discussed. Patrick Charbonneau, mayor of Lamothe-Fénelon, recalls the difficulties of access to care, the drop in the financial envelope for hospitals and the current shortage of general practitioners.
A long debate, led in part by Jean-Luc Vallet, mayor of Brengues, a former doctor, and Thierry Chartroux, vice-president in charge of health in Cauvaldor, showed that it was difficult for mayors to find themselves solutions to these problems, even if initiatives currently exist (health center, health option training in high schools, etc.). Drafting decrees prohibiting people from being sick or filing a complaint against the State for endangering the lives of others were proposals raised.
Other crucial challenges
The recruitment of town hall secretaries, the fragility of schools due to declines in enrollment, the POLT line, the Zan law (zero net artificialization) were then sources of discussions.
The AMR 46 report presented by treasurer Jacques Virole, mayor of Labathude, indicates an increase of 20% in members in 2024 and positive finances. The senator concludes vehemently on the draft budget and the State's lack of confidence in local elected officials, who nevertheless do not cost much and work with good knowledge of the territory and their municipality.
Vincent Labarthe, president of Grand Figeac, evokes the good balance between municipality and intercommunity, which allows the territory to develop. Before inviting the participants to share a glass of friendship, Caroline Mey-Fau remarks: “At a time when we are witnessing recentralization, France is a country of decentralization where municipalities must have room for maneuver. »
