WEYBURN – Seven-term Weyburn city councillor and longtime volunteer Dick Michel passed away on Friday morning at the age of 74 years.
Michel served for seven consecutive terms on Weyburn City Council from 2001 to 2023, and volunteered on numerous boards and committees over the years.
Mayor Marcel Roy said, “I had the pleasure of serving six years with Mr. Michel. He was someone who greatly cared about our community and his many years on council showed his dedication to the people of Weyburn. Mr. Michel was a family man and a friend to many. He will be missed, but his influence on many will not be forgotten.”
Coun. Jeff Richards noted before he was on council, he got to know Michel through the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce. As a fellow councillor, he recalled Michel would often tell him that compromise was the key when there are differing points of view.
“Everyone around the table is right. That was the thing Dick often asked us to do. He wanted to do what was best for everybody,” said Richards, noting Dick was dedicated to the community, “something we should all strive to do.”
He recalled that for a number of years, Dick walked over every sidewalk in the city in order to see which ones needed work to be made safe.
“Those are really big shoes that we may not be able to see filled for a long time,” said Richards. “He will be missed, that’s for sure.”
Among the many boards he served on was the board of directors for Weyburn Credit Union. Harry Plemel joined the board there in 2002, and noted at the time Dick had been on the board for a number of years already.
“Dick had a real gift, as he made a point of making myself and other new board members feel very welcome and comfortable. He knew pretty well everything about policies and procedure, but he would ask a question he already knew the answer to, for the benefit of those of us who didn’t know. He was very good at that, making us feel welcome and comfortable,” said Plemel. “I think by doing that he helped us become more effective board members than we might otherwise have been.”
Michel served on many city boards and committees over the years, some of which included the Weyburn Police Commission, Airport Board, Facilities Committee/Heritage Advisory, Environmental Committee, the Weyburn Walk of Fame Committee, District Planning Commission and the City of Weyburn/RM of Weyburn Ad Hoc Committee.
Michel served Weyburn and surrounding area on other boards and committees, including serving as a Weyburn Separate School board trustee, and sitting on the Weyburn Agricultural Society, Nickle Lake Regional Park Board, Weyburn Chamber of Commerce, and Weyburn Tourism Committee.
Michel stepped down from his seat on council in March as he said “farewell to an appointment I loved so much,” stating he was no longer able to continue doing what he was so passionate about doing.
Michel received the Honourary Service Award from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association in April, in recognition of his more than 20 years of service as an elected official.
A funeral service for Michel will be held on Thursday, July 6, at 1 p.m. from St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church.
