Drew Dilkens will lead a city council with new faces
A vote of confidence for Drew Dilkens after beening re-elected as Mayor of Windsor, defeating former Windsor and Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce President Matt Marchand
After defeating Marchand by more than 12,000 votes in Monday's Municipal Election, Dilkens is glad voters heard his message of moving the city forward.
"I'm just delighted that people in our city recognized that I've have worked hard, that council has worked hard over the last four years," says Dilkens. " We were able to deliver, we were able to move the city forward, and there's more to do."
Marchand admits it's not the outcome his team wanted, but he's happy with the campaign.
"We congratulate the Dilkens campaign for a job well done and again, it's our responsibility to get behind the mayor and members of city council and their new agenda," added Marchand, who says it's time to come together to help improve Windsor.
Even in defeat, Marchand feels his campaign will have a positive impact in the city.
"We put a lot of important issues on the community in terms of the auditor general, community liveability, the downtown which is our flagship policy program and that had a lot of traction in the community," says Marchand.
Dilkens tells AM800 News his priorities for the new council term will be to continue record investments to improve roads and sewers in the city while working with community leaders to solve the homelessness, opioid and crime issues downtown.
There will be four new faces on Windsor city council -- Fabio Constante defeated John Elliott in Ward 2, Gary Kaschak replaces the outgoing Bill Marra in Ward 8, Kieran McKenzie beat Hilary Payne in Ward 9 and Jim Morrison upset Paul Borrelli in Ward 10 by 250 votes.
Fred Francis, Rino Bortolin, Chris Holt, Ed Sleiman, Jo-Anne Gignac and Irek Kusmierczyk were all re-elected.
Dilkens tells AM800 News it's time for the new council to work together.
"I know it's popular for some to try and point out that there was this big divide on council and six-to-four no more, I've read all these things and it's frankly nonsense," says Dilkens. "At the end of the day, you should not be running to be a councillor in the city of Windsor if your sole-goal is to object to everything the mayor brings forward. It would be a disservice to your residents in your ward."
He doesn't expect any animosity after the election campaign.
"The whole notion of campaigning, it's much different than the role of governing and there's a transition that has to be made," says Dilkens."The sooner the new councillors can make that transition, the better it will be for their constituents and our city as a whole."
As for Matt Marchand, he plans to take a break.
"Matt is going to take a little bit of time off," admits Marchand. "It's been great, it's been a great experience and I wouldn't change it for the world, but I am going to take a little break now but I'm sure you will see me in the not-too-distant future."
Voter turnout continues to be an issue in Windsor with only 34.73% of eligible voters cast a ballot in this year's election.
That is lower than the voter turnout in 2014, which was 37.46%.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
MAYOR:
Drew Dilkens (incumbent) (RE-ELECTED) Votes: 31201Matt Marchand Votes: 18626Franz (Frank) Dyck Votes: 785Tom Hensel Votes: 797Ernie Lamont Votes: 1121
CITY COUNCIL:WARD 1
Matthew (Matt) Ford Votes: 428Fred Francis (ELECTED) Votes: 3507Krysta Glovasky-Ridsdale Votes: 248Wiquar Husain Votes: 277Darcie Renaud Votes: 2167
WARD 2
Fabio Costante (ELECTED) Votes: 2139John Elliott Votes: 1623
WARD 3
Rino Bortolin ( ELECTED) Votes: 2710Helmi Charif Votes: 690Steve Palenkas Votes: 352
WARD 4
Janice Campbell Votes: 1138Chris Holt (ELECTED) Votes: 4407
WARD 5
Adam Castle Votes: 391Lillian B. Kruzsely Votes: 165Joe Lucier Votes: 108Ed Sleiman (ELECTED) Votes: 2294Martin A. Utrosa Votes: 52Joey Wright Votes: 1341
WARD 6
Jeff Denomme Votes: 2682Jo-Anne Gignac (ELECTED) Votes: 3709Josh Jacquot Votes: 86Terry Yaldo Votes: 902
WARD 7
Barbara Holland Votes: 658Irek Kusmierczyk (ELECTED) Votes: 4745Angelo Marignani Votes: 982Albert Saba Votes: 208
WARD 8
Giovanni (John) Abati Votes: 255Gemma Grey-Hall Votes: 628Patti Hayes Votes: 296Gary Kaschak (ELECTED) Votes: 932Greg Lemay Votes: 574Kathryn MacDonell Votes: 139David Sundin Votes: 832Lisa Valente Votes: 231
WARD 9
Alex Aggarwal Votes: 803Kieran McKenzie (ELECTED) Votes: 3178Hilary Payne Votes: 985
WARD 10
Olivia Ashak Votes: 26Paul Borrelli Votes: 1249Wally Chafchak Votes: 16Mohamed Chams Votes: 63Mark Masanovich Votes: 942Jim Morrison (ELECTED) Votes: 1499Michael Patterson Votes: 490Sadiq Pirani Votes: 83