Three new Windsor city councillors to be sworn in for new term

The work begins Tuesday for three new Windsor city councillors who won tight election-night races to represent their wards around the council table.

All of council will be sworn in Tuesday evening in a special inaugural meeting of council at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Windsor.

It’s a night that has been a long time coming for Angelo Marignani.

“Just after the election, there was a sudden realization that I'm here to serve these people and there's a lot of people and I just want to do the best job possible,” said Marignani, who put his name forward six times to represent the east Windsor riding of Ward 7.

Now elected, Marignani wants to prioritize spending on current assets like roads, sewers, parks and beaches but also improving city services and focusing on the basics.

“The things that we are truly responsible for as a city council is where I'm going to put my attention to really improve the little things,” he said.

Fellow newcomer Mark McKenzie narrowly edged out a big field in Ward 4 on election night.

“There are two things that I wanted to do when I grew up one was be on the radio and the other one was to be involved with politics, no joke,” said McKenzie, who has been a long-time resident in south Walkerville.

The long-time broadcaster and current real estate agent is ready to commit as a full-time councillor, running on a platform of improving neighbourhoods through community safety initiatives and making sure people can afford to live in a growing city.

“So that's what I'm going to do. You know, I'm not looking at cutting jobs or cutting services. Right. I think that should be a last resort,” McKenzie said of tough decisions that lie ahead on budget night. “But I am about keeping taxes low for individuals with inflation at an all time high. People can't afford a tax increase.“

Downtown Windsor also has a new voice around the table, but no stranger to the core.

“I'm excited to get to work. I got a lot of great ideas for downtown and I want to see things happen down here and I'm pumped,” said Renaldo Agostino, a small-business owner and longtime community booster.

He admits budget time will be his first learning curve but a challenge he’s ready to tackle.

“I know what it means to to watch every penny but I also know what it means. When you gotta you know you got to spend money to make money,” Agostino said.

Other core issues like homelessness and crime are issues Agostino wants to address at their roots, with a goal of making downtown Windsor a top-tier place to live, work and play.

“It's this mesh of residential and entertainment and excitement and vibrancy,” Agostino said. “I see it as clear as day and I don't see it that far down the road.”