By Pepper Parr
December 29th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
A follow up on Tim Commisso, the Interim City Manager who will show up for work on January 7th.
Tim Commisso will start the task of running the city and getting up to speed on what each department is doing. Budget and readying things for the new approach to the Official plan that is now back in Burlington. Getting things moving on the Mobility hub issues and helping council work out the kinds on the downtown mobility hub.
In checking around on who knows what about the man a number of people had comments; they all asked that we not give their names. “I didn’t like him when he was here last time and I don’t expect to like him all that much when he arrives in January – but I will have to work with him.” was one comment from someone who has been around city hall for some time.
Another senior municipal type told the Gazette that the decision made by Mayor Meed Ward to put an experienced city manager in place who was not on staff, was good, he added that he had heard the appointment could run for as long as nine months – and pointed out that is one quarter of the mandate. “Probably too long.”
He added that “there are between 10 and 12 city manager jobs open in the province. Hamilton is looking for a new administrative chief. Burlington wants to get their requirement out there as soon as they can.
Tim Commisso was in on the early thinking and planning for the Pier. He wasn’t around when the troubles took place.
Commisso was also part of the Burlington staff team that was in on the decision to build a pier at the foot of Brant Street. The first version of the Pier – the one that got torn apart when the city found that there were major problems with the steel that was being used, didn’t happen when Commisso was on the city payroll.
“This council deserves credit” one source said “for bringing in an experienced manager and giving themselves the time they need to get it right when they hire the next full time city manager.”
Commisso began his municipal career in Thunder Bay in the 1980s; it was his home town.
He came to Burlington in 1988 and held a number of senior positions including manager of budgets, deputy treasurer and director of parks and recreation. He had lead responsibility for a number of major projects including the waterfront renewal as well as downtown revitalization strategies and corporate strategic plans.
He returned to Thunder Bay in 2008.
Thunder Bay has been in the news recently when the province disbanded the Police Services Board after two reports were released stating that the racism towards the Indigenous community was unacceptable and new people had to be put in place to bring about change.
Tim Commisso will have to give moral at city hall a major boost and then get on with the business of keeping things on track while council goes looking for a new city manager.
Commisso was a Senior Advisor at MNP, a national accounting, tax and consulting firm before he re-joined the city for a second time.
MNP, LLP acquired Wade Group, a local accounting firm in 2013.
The MNP offices in Burlington were closed for the day and we were not able to learn if they have done any work for the city.
The Wade Group Professional Services, a Burlington-based accounting and consulting firm, merged with MNP LLP, one of Canada’s largest national accounting and business consulting firms, effective September 1, 2013.
Related news story:
Wade group acquired by national account firm.
