LaSalle Mayor Marc Bondy not running for re-election in October

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After 12 years in public office, serving as town councillor, deputy mayor and the last four years as mayor, LaSalle’s Marc Bondy is calling it a day.

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The 64-year-old mayor recently made the decision not to seek re-election in the October municipal election, saying it’s time to spend more time with his family.

“After 12 years I decided that I want to make my wife (Mary) and family priority again,” Bondy said.

“I want to spend more time with (my four young grandchildren). I’m being selfish. I’m putting myself first, and my family again.”

Born and raised in LaSalle on Malden Road, Bondy still works as an insurance broker, going into the office four days a week.

“It’s in my DNA. I’ve been doing it for 41 years,” he said. “I do work because I love it.”

But after four years of the daily pressures on his time as mayor and a seven-day-a-week commitment, Bondy made the decision not to run again in the fall.

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“I love working for the Town of LaSalle,” he said. “I love representing the people. It was humbling to be elected three times.

“I took the job seriously — that the residents put their faith in me especially as mayor because you’re the leader of the group.”

He said he’ll miss working with the town’s staff, calling them his second family, and especially chief executive Joe Milicia with whom he developed a special bond.

“I told Joe I feel like I’m divorcing you,” Bondy said with a laugh. “I told him, ‘Joe this is not easy. It would be easier if I didn’t like you. It’d be easier if we didn’t get along.’

“We think the same way. He knows the answer I’m going to give him before (I give it).”

Bondy said his gut often guides him in his decisions and he doesn’t change his mind.

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“And I think that’s why Joe and I get along. He can come to me, I give him a decision, it’s done. There’s no wavering,” he said.

“We got along fantastic and I will miss it immensely.”

Bondy’s proudest moments as mayor are the hiring of a new police chief and deputy chief — after long-serving chief John Leontowicz and deputy Kevin Beaudoin retired — and getting shovels in the ground on the town’s multimillion-dollar waterfront redevelopment project.

The previous council purchased the land needed for the multi-year project.

“All the police officers are so happy with the new leadership,” he said. “But I think the biggest thing for the town overall will be the waterfront.”

Voters in neighboring Amherstburg will also be getting a new municipal leader this fall after Aldo DiCarlo announced last week he also wants to spend more time with family after eight years as mayor.

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