Page 4 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 147

4 Issue #147 April 2025 www.sportsenergynews.com

Meet Tim Mills, Cornwall’s new Chief

Administration Officer

By Christine Ouellet initiatives.” experience he acquired throughout the
years. “But in terms of leadership, it
His first undertaking is a review
does not change from a small to a larger
of resources, capital projects, and
ithin a few weeks of starting organization. You have to work with
infrastructure. He will also analyze
Whis new job, Tim Mills, the new constituents, non-profit, businesses,
Cornwall Chief Administrative Officer the human side; organizational charts, council, boards of trustees, and also
(CAO), has set his priorities: leadership, the number of staff, interim positions, acknowledge the political.”
vacancies, and on the resources side;
communication, collaboration, and Photo Submitted
connection with staff, council, and what staff must have to do their job. Different challenges bring different
the community in an educational “There is a clear Strategic Plan with opportunities. “You can always learn
context. He shares his vision of his new the council, looking at the number of and get better. And it is especially true
with digitalization and technological
appointment, allowing us to understand priorities. For instance, the number
changes, which represent different
the municipal arena better. of ongoing capital projects, some
essentials. We also have climate actions, challenges. We had to adapt to working
He sees his role as the link between with the team on both sides of the
things related to the environment, and firehall, the works offices, roads, etc.,
the administrative staff and the council. that represent huge costs. table. Tech is part of the Strategic Plan,
Tim says, “I have a history of putting a affordable housing and homelessness. I Operational Plan, and Customer services
am looking closely at three main areas
high priority on education and training, “The main thing, in terms of my to move things forward. I will be looking
looking at the plan across different from a perspective of needs. One is leadership, is the delivery service to forward to working closely with media
departments for training and leadership, infrastructure for Cornwall, there are the taxpayer and what they are getting so we can educate the public about the
a lot of things they would like to do
opportunities for staff, and a big focus back in return. Over the years, a lot of challenges and keep our constituents
on wellness across the organization and that we need to put in motion, like the things have been downloaded to the informed while building consensus.”
municipalities, and it puts a strain on
taxpayers. Tim Mills says in closing, “I am
excited, I lived in Cornwall all my life,
“Once the review is completed, the I have been extremely involved with
budget and drawing up the action plan community, in nonprofit organizations, I
come next. One of the big challenges
worked in education for a long time, and
is, “I see a CEO year plan, year after it allowed me to build relationships, to
year, with the strategic plan, this is my
work together collaboratively; and not
priority. I want to look at affordability just the city of Cornwall, but SGD whole
in all the things that we either are region. I will be working extremely hard
committed to, or have been identified by
on collaboration and communicating
counsel, and things that we want to do well with constituents, businesses,
or might consider. You have to identify
commercial, and industrial.”
the tax base, we have to work with all years, Tim Mills brings in a rich,
With a career that spans over thirty
levels of government, federal, regional,
Photo: Jeff Lalonde and municipal; we have to look at the diversified experience as CAO with the
affordability, and how to get the money
Municipality of South Dundas, CAO
to do it. That is one side, the other side
South Glengarry, Superintendent of
is identifying the top priorities and how
Schools with the Upper Canada District
we are going to pay for them.
School Board, and Executive Director
Cheers! infrastructure. Arguably for counsel, of the Upper Canada Leger Centre for
“A budget that includes capital and

the most important thing is to pass Education and Training, an extensive

the budget, which is delegated to me career in public service, and involvement

in many nonprofit organizations. Tim
☛ as CAO, and I work with staff and Mills will continue, as he has been
departments to deliver operations and
doing for the past thirty years, to be fully

capital projects.” committed and engaged to better the life
He is looking forward to using the of his community.