Ootes to helm Ford’s transition team
[attach]2641[/attach]Perhaps taking a page out of Mel Lastman’s handbook, Mayor-elect Rob Ford announced today retiring Toronto-Danforth councillor Case Ootes will serve as chair of his transition team.
A council veteran, Ootes has 22 years of council experience and was deputy mayor during former mayor Mel Lastman’s tenure.
“I have always admired his professionalism, his grasp of municipal issues and his experience will ensure a smooth transition when I have the honour of being sworn in as Mayor of Toronto on December 1st,” Ford said of Ootes in a statement.
Ootes’ new responsibilities weren’t outlined in detail in the statement, but with 14 new faces on council the outgoing municipal rep will likely have his hands full helping to organize a cohesive council team.
Ford and Ootes have worked on council together for the last 10 years.
“I am very proud to serve as Chair of the transition team for Mayor-elect Rob Ford,” Ootes said in the statement.
“His plans to bring more transparency and accountability to City Hall are issues that are important to me and to the taxpayers of Toronto.
“I am looking forward to working with municipal staff to make the transition as seamless as possible.”
Ootes was first elected as an East York councillor in 1988. Ootes did not seek re-election for the upcoming new term. Mary Fragedakis is set to replace him on council.
