Joe Fratesi, Sault Ste. Marie chief administrative officer, may one day run for elected office again.
"I've had some interesting offers already," Fratesi said to SooToday Monday after announcing his retirement as CAO effective April 30, 2015.
"I wouldn't discount that (running for office) but certainly that's something I would only consider if my family were supportive…that's something I would consider, yes," Fratesi said.
However, Fratesi said "I wouldn't put it high on my priority list at this point in time."
Fratesi, 63, was Sault Ste. Marie's longest-serving mayor, in office from 1985 to 1996, before going on to becoming the city's longest-serving CAO beginning in 1996.
The offers Fratesi referred to include practising and/or teaching law and serving on various boards and committees.
"I practised law for 23 years prior to taking the CAO's job, I've kept up my license, there are firms out there that have said to me if I retire and wanted to join them that there could be a place for me."
"There are projects that I've been involved in, and hopefully in the future similar projects might come along where they might need a chair, I'm not prepared to narrow it down to any option."
"It could involve the corporate sector, it could be something similar to chairing committees, something to do with the new harbour, it could be almost anything."
"I would want to stay involved in helping the community I love so much," Fratesi said.
"I'm not the type of person that will want to stay home and watch the television."
Fratesi was a popular mayor and, as CAO, has continued to help guide the city in its annual budget process and a multitude of other important matters, including serving as chair of a working committee of stakeholders currently working to save passenger rail service from the Sault to Hearst.
Fratesi's years as CAO and mayor were not without controversy.
An Ontario court found Fratesi to be in violation of conflict of interest legislation when he applied for and accepted the CAO position while still mayor.
As a result, Fratesi, while remaining CAO, was prohibited from seeking public office for four years.
Previously, while serving as mayor in 1990, Fratesi found himself in the middle of what became a national controversy when city council passed a resolution which declared English the sole working language of the Sault's municipal government.
The courts struck down the resolution, stating council had exceeded its authority by delving into language legislation.
Controversy over the bylaw eventually died down, but the move was seen by some as offensive to francophones at a time when the federal government, Quebec and the other provinces were negotiating the Meech Lake Accord.
Fratesi, a married father and grandfather, said he made the decision to retire before the October 2014 municipal election.
"Announcing that before the election might have been a distraction during the election process, and after the election I wanted to make sure the new council orientation was done and the next budget for the new council completed."
Fratesi served as a city councillor for Ward 6 for three terms, from 1976 to 1982.
He was unsuccessful in his first run for mayor in 1982.
First elected mayor in 1985, Fratesi said "in a couple of elections l was humbled to find I'd won every poll in every ward throughout the city. I'm happy I hold the record as the longest-serving city mayor and the longest-serving city administrator."
"Probably infrastructure renewal is the area where I'm most proud," Fratesi said, reflecting on his time as CAO.
"We were able to build the new Essar Centre at a time where there was some question as to our ability to finance it, we kept it within our budget…we've got the indoor soccer facility at the Northern Community Centre, we've built a new east end sewage treatment plant, we've doubled the amount of roadwork during my period of time as CAO."
Fratesi said taxes have been the biggest challenge he has faced as CAO.
However, Fratesi said "that's not to say our taxes weren't affordable because they were affordable, in my view our taxes continue to be among the lowest for average homeowners in any community in northern Ontario."
Fratesi praised the city staff team he has worked with over the years.
"I've had the privilege of working side by side with a lot of good people over the years and the people of Sault Ste. Marie are well served by the city staff they have here…they're all dedicated and they have the best interests of our community at heart and I don't think we can ask more than that."
Previous SooToday coverage of this story:
Joe Fratesi announces retirement
(FILE PHOTO: City CAO Joe Fratesi seen speaking during the Port of Algoma announcement last fall. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday)