The transition in Windsor’s mayor’s office is starting to begin.
Outgoing Mayor Drew Dilkens met with mayor-elect Fred Francis Friday morning for a transition meeting.
Following the meeting they met with local reporters to talk about the transition.
Mayor-elect Fred Francis says there’s a week left before he fully transitions into the mayor’s office.
“I can’t say thank-you enough to Mayor Dilkens and your team and the team at city hall for making it seamless and enjoyable and a lot of information coming at us very quickly, and we’re able to absorb it, and they’re working with us very professionally, and they’re being very kind with their time, with their information, and with their well wishes,” says Francis.
He says it’s been a great transition.
Francis says since the election, every single day has been jam-packed with meetings.
“I’ve spoken with all the council members,” says Francis. “I’ve met with half of them. We have more meetings next week. Everyone’s excited; everyone’s ready to go, and with the help of Mayor Dilkens and the rest of the team at city hall, we’re moving in that direction.”
He says Mayor Dilkens did give him some advice.
Francis says some of the advice he’ll keep private.
“He did give us some other advice that he said right now is essentially that it’s a people business, you got to work with everybody, you got to be mindful of the community, and you got to be mindful of the economic opportunities in front of us, but he was able to impart some words of wisdom to me privately that we’ll keep private between him and myself,” says Francis.
Francis says he has already spoken to Premier Doug Ford and has met with provincial leaders, community leaders, business leaders, and union leaders, as well as city administrators.
He says his last day at the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County is next Friday, after giving his two weeks.
The new Windsor city council will be sworn in on Monday, November 16.
The final city council meeting of this term takes place on Monday, November 9.