CAO provides update on services and structural review
The municipality has been making subtle changes to its inner workings for the past year, following recommendations that appeared in the 2013 services and structural review.
One of those changes was creating the operations department, replacing what was formerly environmental services. Another was taking information technology off Christine Nadon’s desk, allowing her to focus on being the manager of communications.
It also considered merging community and family services with the culture and recreation department, but later realized that such an amalgamation would cost a significant amount of money and there are other recommendations that are higher on the priority list.
“While it would have been great to move the two departments ... the priority and funding had to be given to fundamental services,” explained Peter Waterworth, chief administrative officer, during an update to council Aug. 19.
Fundamental services include the town’s water and sewer lines.
Waterworth pointed out that once those services were highlighted as the priority, administration structured the 2014 budget around them, focusing on projects that would extend the lifespan of the town’s utilities. That can be seen on the 800 block of Connaught Drive. Currently the municipality is replacing the water and sewer lines in the alleyway, before paving it.
Another project, which is slated for next year, will replace the utilities in the neighbourhood of Colin Crescent and Bonhomme Street.
“When we came to the budget process, what we said was we need to put the emphasis on making sure that the municipality could provide the basic services that it was established to provide—because it became clear very, very quickly that, for example, water valves were not in good condition, among other things, and that there was major capital work that was going to have to be carried out during the course of the life of this council.
“I think we’ve seen in the months since the budget was approved that that was a wise decision. The more we look at water valves, the more we look underground, the more we see that is an area for ongoing work.”
Waterworth said he hopes that during the next budget process, council will first look through the services and structural review and get a feel for what staff are doing and an idea of what needs to be accomplished and then give direction to administration on the services it feels could be improved or even cut.
Other changes that have taken place since the services and structural review was completed in May 2013 include streamlining services. For example, this summer, the municipality began offering automated billing.
The services and structural review was completed by Western Management Consultants and provided the municipality with 13 recommendations as to how it could improve. The recommendations span from restructuring departments to developing a five-year strategic plan and creating a standard for its services.
The services and structural review was initiated in 2012, recognizing that the municipality had never undertaken such a review since its incorporation. The review was completed after extensive data collection and interviews with municipal staff to determine what services are provided by the municipality, as well as how they are provided.
