Aubertin, who retires this week, was hired in 1991 by the city manager at that time, Manley Schultz, although she was soon thereafter called upon to serve as an assistant to Mayor Peter Trent. She describes her time with Westmount as an educational experience she would otherwise never have had.

"I came in not having a clue what politics was all about," she said in an interview with The Examiner. As gatekeeper for the City's top elected official, Aubertin, who is thoroughly bilingual, routinely took calls from Quebec Municipal Affairs Minister Nathalie Normandeau and Premier Jean Charest.

A large part of her job involved coordinating the mayor's agenda, making sure he or she was at appointments and events on time. She also sometimes needed to use great diplomatic skills to deal with residents whose problems were not solved at a lower level in the administration and who were appealing to the mayor's office.

"Whenever we're able to help someone who feels they're in dire need of help, it's always gratifying," she said. "They usually come back and say 'thank you,' so that's a great part of the job."

In the late 1990s, Aubertin found herself at the virtual centre of the greatest challenge Westmount ever faced — the forced merger, followed by demerger, with the City of Montreal. "It took a while for people to realize what was going on," she recalled of some Westmounters' initial reaction.

"It was such a big issue and it was so confusing — as we said in French, fusion, défusion, confusion. It was really confusing, as if people didn't really get it. But once the first tax bill came in, I guess, people realized that there was a problem."

According to Mayor Karin Marks, Aubertin's job was one of the most potentially sensitive and demanding in the City because of its political nature. "That's hard," she said, "She's very professional, very able to listen and let people vent and then direct it in the right direction. That's very important."

"Everybody's been very supportive," Aubertin said of the warm rapport she's enjoyed over the years with the elected officials and staff at the City of Westmount. "For me it's been an amazing journey. It's been a privilege working for Westmount and it will always be my second home. I leave with great memories. It's been wonderful."