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Mayor-elect John Tory has convinced retiring city manager Joe Pennachetti to stick around through the next budget cycle until April 2015.

Pennachetti announced his retirement in August and was due to vacate the position in November.

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“I felt that from the standout of a new council, but particularly a new mayor….we would all be best served if he would give some consideration to staying at City Hall,” Tory said a press conference Thursday morning. “I was delighted to receive an answer from Mr. Pennachetti that he was willing to do so.”

Tory said city council will need to approve Pennachetti’s extension at their first meeting in early December.

“Every additional day of public service we can get from Joe Pennachetti would be a day that would be good for the city of Toronto,” the mayor-elect said. “I just want to say thank you to Joe and thank you to his family for agreeing to this.”

Pennachetti’s public profile rose under the administration of Mayor Rob Ford, although he was first appointed in 2008 to the job. The city manager was a major supporter of the mayor’s push for efficiencies but spoke out against Ford’s negative characterization of the city’s finances earlier this year.

“It was a long four years,” Pennachetti said of the Ford years to chuckles from the gathered press. “I have to admit that this new term of council has significant issues that are heavy in inter-governmental focus which is an area that I am very interested in.

“We do have a critical four or five months now to advance the city.”

Pennachetti cited transit, public housing and funding from the province and Ottawa as the key items moving forward over the next year for the city.

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With files from Natalie Alcoba, National Post