After more than three decades in municipal government, Tim Commisso is calling it a day.
Thunder Bay’s city manager on Wednesday said he plans to retire in October, after serving seven years in the city’s highest unelected position.
It was just time, said Commisso, who got his start on the civic stage helping to open the Canada Games Complex in 2001, before eventually moving on to Burlington, Ont. in 1988, where he spent the next 20 years before making his triumphant return home.
“It’s going on 35 years. I love my job. I love the community, but the reality of it is, it’s head down. I’ve tried to do my best for seven years, and it’s the reality of sustaining that,” Commisso said.
“And it’s looking ahead and moving on.”
With several senior managers nearing retirement age, he added it’s a good chance for younger employees to take the city’s reins.
“We’ve got some great people, some great staff that need opportunities,” Commisso said. “Whether I’m going to set that ball rolling or not, I don’t know. It’s just time.”
Commisso oversaw a city in change during his time at the helm.
When he arrived Thunder Bay was still in the throes of the forest industry collapse. Waterfront development planning was in full force and city officials were attempting to transition to a knowledge-based economy.
During his tenure Thunder Bay faced a $126-million lawsuit by Horizon Wind Inc. after council rejected turbine locations on the Nor’Wester Escarpment and, along with Mayor Keith Hobbs, Commisso was the guiding force behind the city’s attempt to build a controversial event centre.
Commisso also helped develop a long-term strategic plan and introduced City Lean, a program aimed at helping cut costs.
Looking back, there’s not one specific thing of which he’s most proud, though one of his first battles – securing a location for the Regional Food Distribution Agency’s new headquarters – is one that jumped to mind on Wednesday.
“I take pride in the fact that it’s a combination of things. I’m happy with overall where the city is with respect to infrastructure renewal. We could do more, we could spend a lot more money, but we’re on the right path. We’ve increased it,” he said.
“A lot of work went into trying to get the waterfront in place and we’re seeing now, with the Marriott being completed, that project will be $125 million.”
He still hasn’t given up hope on an event centre.
“I’m proud of the work that’s been done on the event centre. There’s more work to be done, no question,” Commisso said, adding the city needs support on design and construction studies.
“Projects like that are never easy because they all change. And whenever they change you get resistance. But I’ve always taken the view that I grew up in Thunder Bay and I don’t have any big aspirations other than trying to see the city move forward. I’ve tried to do that.”
Coun. Rebecca Johnson said the city has been in good hands for the past seven years under Commisso, saying he has done an exceptional job.
“We’ve created so many different things during his term in office. We’ve been able to solidify sustainable funding and financial plans we’ve been able to put in place. If nothing else, Tim has worked very hard at that,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the first step to replace the city manager would be hiring a consultation firm to provide a job description and help find suitable candiates. The city manager is the only position council can hire or fire.
Commisso said he’s not sure what his future holds at this point in time.
