One of Cornwall’s most significant municipal stories of 2024 was the abrupt end of Mathieu Fleury’s tenure as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Fleury, who assumed the role in late 2023, shared ways with the City of Cornwall just a year into the job.
“Council would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Fleury for all his work over the past year and his dedication to the City of Cornwall and wish him all the best in his future endeavours,” read the city’s announcement in October.
Fleury’s experience includes a background in municipal governance in Ottawa and federal policy advising. During his short tenure, he focused on organizational reviews and financial accountability. However, the reasons for his departure remain undisclosed.
Following the announcement, Tracey Bailey, the city’s General Manager of Financial Services and Treasurer, stepped in as interim CAO. The city also launched a recruitment process to find Fleury’s successor, underscoring a year of change and challenges in municipal leadership.
As Cornwall reflects on 2024, the CAO transition highlights the city’s ongoing efforts to balance leadership stability with its ambitious priorities for growth and service improvements.
