WINDSOR, ONT. -- There’s a new boss at the City of Windsor with its new Chief Administrative Officer taking the helm this week.
When Onorio Colucci started at the city, Pierre Elliott Trudeau was the Prime Minister, after 37 years he is moving into retirement and says it’s time for someone new to take charge.
“I think that tells you it’s time for a change and Jason brings a lot of experience but also a fresh set of eyes looking for a way to serve the community,”
That Jason — is Jason Reynar — Windsor’s new Chief Administrative Officer, who has officially started with the city.
“Priority number one is trust building, both internally and externally,” Reynar says. “People need to know they can trust me, and I can trust them so that relationship building is really important.”
Reynar previously served five years as the CAO of the Town of Innisfil.
He’s a litigator by trade, also serving as solicitor and clerk in the community on the outskirts of Barrie.
He brings with him a reputation as a tech-driven innovator — with plans to modernize the corporation and help drive Windsor’s future economy.
“We have to help our small businesses succeed coming out of this pandemic, which has been decimating, and so what can we do as a city to facilitate that, to empower that and help them succeed,” Reynar says. “It’s time to come back to the heyday and I want to be part of that.”
Colucci will stay on as special advisor for a month to help with the transition.
“I’ve dedicated my whole professional career to the corporation so I want to make sure that there’s a good transition,” he says.
Mayor Dilkens says after more than a decade of fiscal responsibility from corporate insiders — council is excited for an outsider’s approach.
“I think with his spirit and his spirit of collaboration and the ideas that he has coming forward, I know council’s excited and I know the community will be excited as well,” Dilkens says.
“They’ve done such a good job of getting their financial health in order that we might now have a moment to take a look at the 30-thousand-foot level of where do we want to go, and how do we get there,” Reynar says.
