New leadership has been elected for the new Windsor Essex County Health Unit board.
At the first meeting of the WECHU board of directors of the new year on Thursday evening, Windsor city councillor Fabio Costante was chosen to serve as the new chair of the board.
Costante, who represents Ward 2, has been on the WECHU board since he was first elected as a councillor in 2018 and succeeds Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara who had led the board for more than two decades.
"It's certainly an honour to have been nominated and elected chair. I recognize I have large shoes to fill but I really look forward to working with what will be the upcoming JBEC, the board as a whole, our CEO, Medical Officer of Health and our senior management team," he said.
Tecumseh's deputy mayor Joe Bachetti seen after a council meeting on October 8, 2019 (Photo by AM800's Zander Broeckel)
Another returning member of the board has been elected vice-chair, as board members selected Tecumseh's deputy mayor Joe Bachetti.
He succeeds former deputy mayor of Lakeshore, Tracey Bailey, who was elected Mayor back in the fall's municipal elections.
"Thank you to my nominators and supporters, and I look forward to working with the board for this next term of council, thank you."
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Municipality of Leamington
The last elected slot was treasurer, and Leamington Mayor and Essex County Warden Hilda MacDonald will serve in the role after being nominated by the board members.
MacDonald poked a little fun at herself in accepting the nomination.
"I've never been the treasurer before, and when I was in Grade 6 I'm sure my math teacher would not have recommended or seconded, but I'm always willing to learn," she said.
In addition to Costante, Bachetti and MacDonald, the current board of health is made up of Windsor city councillors Renaldo Agostino, Fred Francis, and Angelo Marignani, as well as county representatives Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue and Essex Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley and provincial appointees Judy Lund and Robert Maich.