The next Dijon Municipal Council will be held on November 25, 2024, but contrary to usual practice, the agenda for this meeting appears to be lighter. Usually, these tips address between 20 and 40 points, as was the case during the session of November 20, 2023, which included 28 topics to be debated. This time, only three points appear on the agenda: the election of the mayor, the election of deputies, and the delegation of powers to the mayor to accelerate certain management acts. Note that a debate on the budgetary orientations was initially planned, but it was withdrawn, raising many questions.
Suspense around the first assistant and the future of François Rebsamen
The first question that attracts attention concerns the appointment of the first deputy. If Nathalie Koenders is elected mayor, who will support her? No official name has yet been confirmed, but rumors are circulating, including the often mentioned name of Antoine Hoareau. The mystery remains, and discussions continue behind the scenes.
Another enigma: the future role of François Rebsamen. After giving up his position as mayor, could he take on that of deputy? Furthermore, the question of the initial budget, initially on the agenda, remains unresolved. Will a new meeting be called to discuss this? For the moment, no clear information has been communicated.
Finally, will any changes be made within the current deputies? The vagueness persists and leaves observers waiting, adding to the impression of growing uncertainty around this session of the Municipal Council.
The financial context: a cloud hanging over Dijon
Beyond the elections, a much more thorny subject weighs on the future of the City of Dijon: the contribution of communities to the recovery of public accounts announced by the government. During an interview given to Bien Public on October 22, 2024François Rebsamen had mentioned the local repercussions of this measure. Dijon and its metropolis will have to contribute 9.1 million euros, broken down into 4.6 million for the City and 4.5 million for the Metropolis.
To illustrate the concrete impact of this contribution, Rebsamen specified that this is equivalent to the cost of the salaries of a hundred municipal police officers or even the construction of one less gymnasium or school. The mayor was very clear: “ We do not want to levy taxes on residents to plug the hole that the State is making for us. »
He even warned that, due to lack of sufficient resources, it might be necessary to cut public services. “ If we no longer have the means, we will cut public services. Will we have to close daycare centers? Eliminate Atsem positions in schools, municipal police positions? », he asked. The situation seems critical, and François Rebsamen's words revealed real concern.
Rebsamen's departure: an escape from responsibility?
For many, the timing of this departure raises questions. Leaving your position when the finances of the City of Dijon could be heavily impacted by government decisions may seem hasty. Is this a way of avoiding responsibilities in the face of an increasingly complex financial situation? Or did he overplay the dramatization of the situation a month ago? The cancellation of the budgetary orientation debate planned for this Council only adds to the uncertainties.
The lack of clarity on the next steps leaves everyone perplexed. Is the City preparing for drastic austerity measures? Is the hasty timing of his departure wise in this context? Will a new council be convened quickly to resolve these crucial budgetary issues? For the moment, it is difficult to say.
What is certain is that the next Dijon Municipal Council, far from being just an administrative formality, will be the scene of important decisions and, hopefully, answers to the many questions that remain. One thing is certain, François Rebsamen leaves the ship like a captain who abandons his crew in the middle of a storm. This departure does indeed seem hasty. Because, let's be clear, he was planning to leave, but almost no one expected it to happen so soon, and everyone would agree.
