Former Northumberland Paramedics, GPL administrator Chief Bill Detlor returns to help county
By editor/reporter Sarah Hyatt
A long-time veteran of public service and a familiar face has returned at the Northumberland County level to tackle “one of the county’s largest and most diverse service portfolios.”
This means work on advancing strategic leadership under housing, homelessness, physician recruitment, community safety, Ontario Works, and more.
For more than a decade, Bill Detlor served in senior leadership roles with Northumberland Paramedics and held the position of chief before transitioning to the role of administrator for the county’s 151-bed Golden Plough Lodge long-term care facility in 2020. He stayed the course through COVID-19 and until the official declaration of the end of the pandemic. His retirement came in July 2023.
And now Detlor has returned in a new role as a director of community and social services, Northumberland County has announced.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Bill back to the county,” said CAO Dan Borowec, who also previously retired in 2025 and returned earlier this year to serve at the helm of the county. “He is a thoughtful, collaborative leader who understands our organization, our community and the importance of building strong partnerships to improve quality of life for residents.”
County leaders described Detlor as a respected municipal and healthcare executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience. Until his latest appointment, he previously served with Northumberland County for 13 years – but his background includes more than 40 years of public service throughout his lifetime.
His appointment to his new post was effective this Monday, Aug. 10 following what the county detailed as a competitive recruitment process.
“His experience across municipal government and healthcare, combined with his commitment to public service and his ability to lead people through change, make him exceptionally well-suited to lead community and social services,” said Borowec. “We look forward to having him return as part of the county’s leadership team.”
During Detlor’s previous tenure, officials credited him with leading significant service improvements across both of his portfolios, including implementation of the community paramedicine program, enhancements to paramedic emergency response through data-driven deployment strategies, and leadership of the county’s long-term care home “through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
According to a recent county release, after his retirement from the county in 2023, “Bill returned to public service in a leadership role with Campbellford Memorial Hospital further strengthening his experience in healthcare operations, organizational leadership and system-wide collaboration.”
In his new post, Detlor will be tasked with providing strategic leadership for a broad portfolio that includes Ontario Works, children’s services, housing, homelessness, physician recruitment, community safety and wellbeing, and related community supports, explained county staff.
Detlor will report directly to Borowec.
Detlor will also be responsible for guiding long-term service planning, fostering partnerships across the health and human services sector, advising council on strategic priorities, and “ensuring high-quality, fiscally-responsible services that respond to the evolving needs of the community.”
Detlor also sounds fired up about his new post.
“It is a privilege to return to an organization that has meant so much to me throughout my career,” said Detlor. “The staff of community and social services and the broader county team are committed to delivering compassionate, responsive and high-quality services – and I am excited to once again work alongside this team, county council, community partners and residents to advance the programs and supports that help people thrive.
“I look forward to building on the strong foundation already in place and helping advance innovative, integrated services that respond to the changing needs of our community.”
County leaders also anticipate Detlor’s abilities to develop high-performing teams, lead complex organizations and build strong relationships across various levels of government and within healthcare and the community will be of benefit. What’s more, officials said his extensive experience in strategic planning, operational leadership, financial stewardship, emergency management, labour relations and organizational development closely align with the leadership required to oversee “one of the county’s largest and most diverse service portfolios.”
The role of director of community and social services has been vacant since March 13, 2026, while recruitment was underway, but department oversight was still being provided by Lisa Ainsworth, director of corporate services, during this period, a Northumberland County spokesperson told the Independent, in response to inquiries.
Previously, Glenn Dees had assumed leadership of the community and social services department as part of his health and human services portfolio after long-time director of community and social services Lisa Horne retired after 34 years in public service in 2024.
Dees – another former long-time employee who originally started in the finance department in 2009 – held many roles with the county over his 17 years of service, including his latest as acting CAO before announcing earlier this year he was moving on to a new professional opportunity.
“He retained oversight of this portfolio while in the acting CAO role from October 2025 until his departure on March 13, 2026,” confirmed the county spokesperson, in response to questions around timelines for this position.
Dees had taken over at the helm following a council appointment and after long-time CAO Jennifer Moore’s departure in September 2025. Back in June, Moore was appointed as CAO for the Township of Selwyn.
As previously reported by the county, Borowec ended up being the successful candidate in the recruitment for a new CAO and was appointed to the position effective March 13, 2026. Back in January 2025, Borowec had also announced his retirement after more than three decades in public service.
At the time of his retirement, he previously held the post of director of economic development, planning and strategic initiatives.
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