One city councillor is asking for more change at the Windsor-Essex Economic Development Corporation as he seeks accountability.
Ward 9 Councillor Hilary Payne is revising his notice of motion to include city and county CAOs as non-voting members on WEEDC's board. "Those two would be on the board and that provides the essential link between what the development corporation is doing and also between the two administrations and that link is not there right now," says Payne.
Payne also insists Sandra Puppatello's job as CEO should be full-time, not split among her other jobs. "The two places I looked at, London and Markham, they both have full-time CEOs in the development corp," says Payne. "I don't know of any corporation that has a part-time CEO -- it just does not make sense."
WEEDC is responsible for a $2-million budget funded by the city and county, something Payne says Puppatello needs to be accountable for. "I don't know anything about what she does, I don't know how long she's there ... I don't know when she comes, I don't know when she goes," says Payne. "For instance with a full-time CEO, when an investor comes into town they have someone to talk to immediately. That's not the case now. Sandra is only here part time."
Payne's motion will be discussed at the Windsor Council meeting on April 20.
