Windsor Mayor-Elect Francis Begins Office Transition
Francis met with outgoing Mayor Dilkens Friday, one week before taking office, and said the handover process is proceeding smoothly.
By Alina Campbell ·
Windsor mayor-elect Fred Francis began his formal transition into the mayor’s office with a meeting with outgoing Mayor Drew Dilkens on Friday morning. The two leaders spent the session reviewing city operations and administrative details before addressing local reporters.
Francis stated that one week remains before he fully assumes the role of mayor. He described the handover process as professional and efficient. “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,” Francis said. He noted that the city staff shared information quickly and kindly, allowing his team to absorb the necessary data.
Since the election, Francis said every day has been filled with meetings. He has spoken with all council members and met with half of them in person. More sessions are scheduled for next week. “Everyone’s excited; everyone’s ready to go,” he said. He credited Dilkens and the city hall team for helping move the administration in the right direction.
Dilkens offered specific advice to the incoming mayor. Francis said some of the guidance will remain private between the two. “He said right now is essentially that it’s a people business, you got to work with everybody,” Francis recalled. He added that Dilkens emphasized the need to be mindful of the community and the economic opportunities facing Windsor.
Francis confirmed he has already spoken with Premier Doug Ford. He also met with provincial leaders, community leaders, business leaders, and union leaders. These conversations were part of his preparation before taking the oath of office. He also met with city administrators to align on immediate priorities.
Francis will serve his last day at the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County next Friday. He gave two weeks' notice for that position. The new Windsor city council is set to be sworn in on Monday, November 16.
The final city council meeting of the current term takes place on Monday, November 9. This session will conclude the work of the outgoing board before the new officials take their seats.
