The Municipality of Chatham-Kent’s new Chief Administrative Officer marked his first day on the job Wednesday with a news conference about what to expect during his administration. Chatham-Kent Council formally appointed Don Shropshire to the lead administrative position with a bylaw passed during its Monday meeting. Today Shropshire addressed questions from journalists about his priorities in leading the municipal administration.
“I thought it was important to answer any question that came up in the spirit of openness and accountability,” said Shropshire. “Citizens are entitled to know exactly how municipal employees are working to fulfill the directions set by our community’s elected leaders.”
“I think we have a very efficient workforce and they’re a hard working workforce,” said Shropshire, saying that he will promoting a more systematic business planning process in the administration. “Taking a look at business plans and looking at what sort of resources we need to deliver certain kinds of services – it gives the management team, Council and the public a better idea of how their investments are being made.”
Shropshire says that economic development will be a major priority, and that the municipality will be working to offer local companies with the support they need to survive, prosper and promote Chatham-Kent to the world. He points out that Canada and Chatham-Kent are safe investments for people in countries where both the economies and civil society are failing:
“If I was a business person there I had money to invest, I would be worried about my kid walking across to school every day. Can you imagine what it’s like to come to a community like Chatham-Kent and they see it’s safe - it’s stable - you’ve got good financial institutions - the land prices are great - you can buy a house for very good value - and the community is open to do business.”
Shropshire says the municipality’s Economic Development Services will be doing all it can to attract outside investors, while also supporting existing businesses.
Shropshire served with the Municipality of Chatham-Kent as the General Manager of Community Development since July 2009, providing leadership to Economic Development; Planning Services; Building, Enforcement and Licensing; Community Services; Youth Retention and Immigration; and the Chatham-Kent Public Library.
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