Newsletter - New Staff Positions Newsletter January 29, 2020: Senior Staff Budget Recommendations.
It is obvious out the gate this Council term most of the District administrative staff were relatively new. Understandably they would know very little about the controversial issues that swirled during the 2011–2018 Council Terms, block-vote years. Perhaps they also would have not known of the current Mayor’s Commitment to, as he put it, "Every decision, has to be looked at “in the context of how do we get the maximum benefit of those (tax) dollars spent”.
Could the Mayor, have been hinting about the previous majority-vote, when Council spent hundreds of thousands of tax dollars on Consultant reports; initiatives that failed or are still craving attention or adding a number of costly administrative staff, the addition of some drew fire from other members of Council.
Since 2015 the following staff was added to the administration: more planners for a total of three (1 Director of Planning, 1 Manager of Planning and 1 planner); a Manager of Human Resources, an additional Information Technology staff member, and an executive assistant. The hundreds of thousands of dollars staffing costs, now annually budgeted for, resulted in helping the previous Council maintain the District/s lofty tax status.
A new Senior Staff budget report is coming to Council on Thursday January 30th, 2020 and is recommending adding 7 more administration staff to keep up service levels. The report indicates however, this is (only) at a cost approximately $1.000,000 tax dollars and represents (only) a 2.42 annual tax increase. If approved this will surely be an addition to another record-breaking annual tax increase Oak Bay seems to excel at.
The report does not say if this recommended $1,000,000 tax figure includes benefits or other staff associated costs. However, it does provide a rationale that in the past the District has suffered considerably from what is described as an “ultra lean” staffing approach and this in turn has, “created (a long list of) contingent liabilities” translated “considerable problems” and deficiencies that Oak Bay struggles with today.
But wait - didn’t the outgoing Chief administrative officer announce she was leaving the District “because she had fulfilled her mandate”? (Residents are now left wondering what the formal account of her job responsibilities were and what she accomplished). Didn’t the new incoming Director of Building and Planning say, “Oak Bay has been rated as one of the most desirable places to live in Canada and I look forward to working with council and the community to ensure that we continue to make Oak Bay the best place to live in Canada”.
The good news from the Senior Staff, 2020 Budget Staffing Recommendations Report is, it states adding the very expensive non-core administrative staffing compliment will, “over the long term deliver better value to taxpayers”
Oak Bay Watch Perspective
In the short time this COW January 30, 2020 agenda item #3 has been available there has been insufficient time to adequately address its content. However, this will be the focus of our next newsletter to be published as soon as we can make a full analysis of the reasoning given for the 2020 Budgeting Staff Recommendations. The Report’s many rationales, information and proposals are worth considering as $1,000,000 is still a “tidy sum” - at least for residents.
Note: It was important that we cut short the Oak Bay Watch newsletter in order for it to be published ahead of the January 30, 2020 Special Committee of the Whole meeting and inform our subscribers and readers. The 6:30 pm webcast should be worth a watch.
*******Please help us continue to provide you with information about Community concerns and Council decisions and actions. Oak Bay Watch members also help community groups with their specific development concerns. Donate to Oak Bay Watch - even $5 or $10 dollars provides expenses for door- to- door handouts and helps us maintain our website. Oak Bay Watch is committed to ensuring the Community gets the full range of information on budget, governance and all key development issues – a well informed opinion cannot be made without this.
(Please use Donate Button at bottom of oakbaywatch.com Home Page)
Keep informed please sign up for our “based on facts” newsletter – bottom of Newsletter Menu Item.
It is obvious out the gate this Council term most of the District administrative staff were relatively new. Understandably they would know very little about the controversial issues that swirled during the 2011–2018 Council Terms, block-vote years. Perhaps they also would have not known of the current Mayor’s Commitment to, as he put it, "Every decision, has to be looked at “in the context of how do we get the maximum benefit of those (tax) dollars spent”.
Could the Mayor, have been hinting about the previous majority-vote, when Council spent hundreds of thousands of tax dollars on Consultant reports; initiatives that failed or are still craving attention or adding a number of costly administrative staff, the addition of some drew fire from other members of Council.
Since 2015 the following staff was added to the administration: more planners for a total of three (1 Director of Planning, 1 Manager of Planning and 1 planner); a Manager of Human Resources, an additional Information Technology staff member, and an executive assistant. The hundreds of thousands of dollars staffing costs, now annually budgeted for, resulted in helping the previous Council maintain the District/s lofty tax status.
A new Senior Staff budget report is coming to Council on Thursday January 30th, 2020 and is recommending adding 7 more administration staff to keep up service levels. The report indicates however, this is (only) at a cost approximately $1.000,000 tax dollars and represents (only) a 2.42 annual tax increase. If approved this will surely be an addition to another record-breaking annual tax increase Oak Bay seems to excel at.
The report does not say if this recommended $1,000,000 tax figure includes benefits or other staff associated costs. However, it does provide a rationale that in the past the District has suffered considerably from what is described as an “ultra lean” staffing approach and this in turn has, “created (a long list of) contingent liabilities” translated “considerable problems” and deficiencies that Oak Bay struggles with today.
But wait - didn’t the outgoing Chief administrative officer announce she was leaving the District “because she had fulfilled her mandate”? (Residents are now left wondering what the formal account of her job responsibilities were and what she accomplished). Didn’t the new incoming Director of Building and Planning say, “Oak Bay has been rated as one of the most desirable places to live in Canada and I look forward to working with council and the community to ensure that we continue to make Oak Bay the best place to live in Canada”.
The good news from the Senior Staff, 2020 Budget Staffing Recommendations Report is, it states adding the very expensive non-core administrative staffing compliment will, “over the long term deliver better value to taxpayers”
Oak Bay Watch Perspective
In the short time this COW January 30, 2020 agenda item #3 has been available there has been insufficient time to adequately address its content. However, this will be the focus of our next newsletter to be published as soon as we can make a full analysis of the reasoning given for the 2020 Budgeting Staff Recommendations. The Report’s many rationales, information and proposals are worth considering as $1,000,000 is still a “tidy sum” - at least for residents.
Note: It was important that we cut short the Oak Bay Watch newsletter in order for it to be published ahead of the January 30, 2020 Special Committee of the Whole meeting and inform our subscribers and readers. The 6:30 pm webcast should be worth a watch.
*******Please help us continue to provide you with information about Community concerns and Council decisions and actions. Oak Bay Watch members also help community groups with their specific development concerns. Donate to Oak Bay Watch - even $5 or $10 dollars provides expenses for door- to- door handouts and helps us maintain our website. Oak Bay Watch is committed to ensuring the Community gets the full range of information on budget, governance and all key development issues – a well informed opinion cannot be made without this.
(Please use Donate Button at bottom of oakbaywatch.com Home Page)
Keep informed please sign up for our “based on facts” newsletter – bottom of Newsletter Menu Item.