Ward 1 city council member and potential mayoral candidate, Fred Francis, has decided not to participate in an external review of council procedures due to concerns about potential bias. The $24,000 contract was awarded to GT & Co by city officials to address various issues raised by the council, such as the deferral of items when delegates are present, timelines for staff reports, and setting time limits for councilor speeches. All council members were invited to take part in the review, but Francis opted out citing the involvement of Andrew Teliszewsky, who previously served as Mayor Drew Dilkens’ chief of staff. Francis expressed discomfort discussing ways to improve city council and city hall with Teliszewsky’s firm given his candidacy for mayor and suggested that input from newly elected council members would be more relevant.

The review was initiated by the city’s Chief Administrative Officer, Ray Mensour, who explained that the contract with GT & Co was sole-sourced due to the heavy workload in the Council Services department, particularly in preparation for the upcoming city-wide election. Mensour praised the firm’s experience in working with municipalities and highlighted their role in providing a fresh perspective to ensure timely completion of the review and recommendations for the next council term. Teliszewsky, listed as a partner at the firm, declined to comment on Francis’ decision or the contract, redirecting inquiries to the City of Windsor.

Mayor Dilkens, who has not confirmed his re-election plans, emphasized that he was not involved in selecting the firm or awarding the contract, asserting that the process followed city procedures. He downplayed Francis’ concerns and praised Teliszewsky’s familiarity with the city’s operations based on his past role as chief of staff. Other council members, including Frazier Fathers, Ed Sleiman, and Angelo Marignani, expressed their willingness to participate in the review. Francis raised doubts about the objectivity of the process, particularly regarding interviews conducted by Teliszewsky, given his prior connection to the mayor’s office.

Marignani acknowledged Francis’ concerns and sought clarification from Teliszewsky, ultimately concluding that the review appeared to be standard administrative quality control. Dilkens indicated that Francis and another unnamed council member were the only ones yet to commit to the review, expressing confidence that the latter would join once caught up on emails. Francis reiterated that his decision was not a reflection on anyone’s integrity but rather his discomfort with discussing his ideas for city hall improvements with someone closely associated with the mayor’s office.