Newsletter January 28, 2023: “Well done is better than well said” Ben Franklin
The district has a number of well said projects awaiting well done status. To name a few: the Carnarvon Park Master Plan; the Zoning Bylaw Review and the Infrastructure Plan. All are well said but, there will be a lengthily wait for them to be (hopefully) well done.
Unfortunately, what has been well done, from a Council perspective, and as predicted by Oak Bay Watch, Oak Bay’s administration and ever-growing senior administrative staff are now costing many more millions of tax dollars.
Oak Bay has had three Chief Administration Officers since 2015. From 2015 to the present the District has been on an administration staff free-spending spree. There seems to be no council understanding that in almost all organizations, staffing costs are the main expenditure (See Oak Bay Watch Perspective).
The municipal hall renovation bill came in approaching 1.5 million dollars. The renovation included office space to accommodate the new staff, with most of the basement space utilized for that purpose. Apparently, there were other hard-costs for new furniture, computers, phones, etc.
In addition to all of the new senior administration staffing, support staff positions were required along with a significant number of consultants, contracted to work with the administration on various Council Initiatives.
Oak Bay Watch has repeatedly reported that the ever-increasing substantial cost of maintaining this sizable administration is unsustainable for such a small municipality. Particularly when the District keeps reminding residents that there has been no growth.
The extent of this District expenditure problem was in full display at the January 23, 2023 Council Meeting. During discussion of agenda Item 7.1 Municipal Office Space Options, staff explained: hiring even more administration staff has been approved; that it will require additional office space to accommodate them; that the new office space required is for 10 or 12 staff and future operations; and that the immediate need is driven by Council's decision to advance infrastructure renewal.
However, it will take decades to complete infrastructure renewal and, as the Director of Engineering has pointed out, the amount of infrastructure renewal that can be completed is limited to the funding availability and the number of core staff the District has to carry out the work. It doesn’t make sense to hire more permanent senior staff to say what work should be done when there is limited funding and the same core staff to do the work.
What also doesn’t add up from an infrastructure renewal standpoint is that Council is:
This is also in direct conflict with Council saying that they are “advancing infrastructure renewal and protecting our natural assets.
Oak Bay Watch Perspective
News: At the Council January 23, 2022 meeting Council decided, after almost a two-hour debate that using the District’s house at 1538 Monterey Avenue, for administration staff office space was the best available option. The District purchased this property in 2016 for #1,7 million dollars, and office space renovation costs are estimated at $452, 000. We understand the hard costs were not included in this estimate.
Information: Senior Staff have informed Council on numerous occasions that more administration staff was needed or taxes would need to be raised or services cut.
This makes us wonder how we survived, prior to 2015, without an expanded (additional planners) Planning Department, a $150,000 Director to write strategic initiatives reports, a Communications Specialist, a Director of Human Resources, a Deputy Director of Engineering, a Program Manager of Facilities and Assets and an executive assistant for the Chief Administrative Officer and the Mayor.
We are trying to get our heads around the fact that before 2015 senior admonition staff, as part of there job responsibilities, were performing the work all the new administration was hired to perform. Then how did this part-time work transform into so many full-time positions. It is also not clear to us how this substantial expenditure is benefiting the community?
Some of the work Council wants completed is time limited, and/ or does not warrant full time positions. It seems to us contracting out or staff sharing with another small municipality (recommended by the province) should have been considered as options.
While it may seem Oak Bay’s property taxes are reasonable, this is deceiving. The District’s water bills are exceptionally high as they include items normally part of and therefore, should be in the property tax bill (at one time a concern of the present Mayor when a Council Member). Also, homeowners, unlike in all other CRD municipalities, are responsible for the costly maintenance and replacement of the infrastructure on municipal property, from their property line all the way to the main drain.
As indicated, what is most concerning about all this is that, we are paying for the compounding annual cost of maintaining the no-end-insight administration staff expenditure. As well as the impact of Council’s densification priorities are being addressed, and at the same time the District's is attempting to avoid infrastructure failures. Additionally, Council continues to approve developments that will result in a lot more stress on Oak Bay’s end-of-life infrastructure.
It is probably a safe bet that “inflationary costs”, and not the no-end-in sight administration costs, will be used as the reason for another hefty property tax increase. However, we will have to wait and see how the 2023 Budget meetings play-out to learn what the reasoning will be for the inevitable tax increase.
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“Nothing is inevitable if you are paying attention” Oak Bay Watch
Oak Bay Watch is a volunteer community association and its members have a variety of professional backgrounds in both the public and private sector.
*******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 and sign up for our newsletter – bottom of Newsletter Menu Item.
The district has a number of well said projects awaiting well done status. To name a few: the Carnarvon Park Master Plan; the Zoning Bylaw Review and the Infrastructure Plan. All are well said but, there will be a lengthily wait for them to be (hopefully) well done.
Unfortunately, what has been well done, from a Council perspective, and as predicted by Oak Bay Watch, Oak Bay’s administration and ever-growing senior administrative staff are now costing many more millions of tax dollars.
Oak Bay has had three Chief Administration Officers since 2015. From 2015 to the present the District has been on an administration staff free-spending spree. There seems to be no council understanding that in almost all organizations, staffing costs are the main expenditure (See Oak Bay Watch Perspective).
The municipal hall renovation bill came in approaching 1.5 million dollars. The renovation included office space to accommodate the new staff, with most of the basement space utilized for that purpose. Apparently, there were other hard-costs for new furniture, computers, phones, etc.
In addition to all of the new senior administration staffing, support staff positions were required along with a significant number of consultants, contracted to work with the administration on various Council Initiatives.
Oak Bay Watch has repeatedly reported that the ever-increasing substantial cost of maintaining this sizable administration is unsustainable for such a small municipality. Particularly when the District keeps reminding residents that there has been no growth.
The extent of this District expenditure problem was in full display at the January 23, 2023 Council Meeting. During discussion of agenda Item 7.1 Municipal Office Space Options, staff explained: hiring even more administration staff has been approved; that it will require additional office space to accommodate them; that the new office space required is for 10 or 12 staff and future operations; and that the immediate need is driven by Council's decision to advance infrastructure renewal.
However, it will take decades to complete infrastructure renewal and, as the Director of Engineering has pointed out, the amount of infrastructure renewal that can be completed is limited to the funding availability and the number of core staff the District has to carry out the work. It doesn’t make sense to hire more permanent senior staff to say what work should be done when there is limited funding and the same core staff to do the work.
What also doesn’t add up from an infrastructure renewal standpoint is that Council is:
- Continuing to remove so many natural assets by allowing clearcutting lots,
- Planning to add a lot more lot coverage with infill development,
- Planning to Increase population without any additional revenue to support the required services, amenities and improved infrastructure.
This is also in direct conflict with Council saying that they are “advancing infrastructure renewal and protecting our natural assets.
Oak Bay Watch Perspective
News: At the Council January 23, 2022 meeting Council decided, after almost a two-hour debate that using the District’s house at 1538 Monterey Avenue, for administration staff office space was the best available option. The District purchased this property in 2016 for #1,7 million dollars, and office space renovation costs are estimated at $452, 000. We understand the hard costs were not included in this estimate.
Information: Senior Staff have informed Council on numerous occasions that more administration staff was needed or taxes would need to be raised or services cut.
This makes us wonder how we survived, prior to 2015, without an expanded (additional planners) Planning Department, a $150,000 Director to write strategic initiatives reports, a Communications Specialist, a Director of Human Resources, a Deputy Director of Engineering, a Program Manager of Facilities and Assets and an executive assistant for the Chief Administrative Officer and the Mayor.
We are trying to get our heads around the fact that before 2015 senior admonition staff, as part of there job responsibilities, were performing the work all the new administration was hired to perform. Then how did this part-time work transform into so many full-time positions. It is also not clear to us how this substantial expenditure is benefiting the community?
Some of the work Council wants completed is time limited, and/ or does not warrant full time positions. It seems to us contracting out or staff sharing with another small municipality (recommended by the province) should have been considered as options.
While it may seem Oak Bay’s property taxes are reasonable, this is deceiving. The District’s water bills are exceptionally high as they include items normally part of and therefore, should be in the property tax bill (at one time a concern of the present Mayor when a Council Member). Also, homeowners, unlike in all other CRD municipalities, are responsible for the costly maintenance and replacement of the infrastructure on municipal property, from their property line all the way to the main drain.
As indicated, what is most concerning about all this is that, we are paying for the compounding annual cost of maintaining the no-end-insight administration staff expenditure. As well as the impact of Council’s densification priorities are being addressed, and at the same time the District's is attempting to avoid infrastructure failures. Additionally, Council continues to approve developments that will result in a lot more stress on Oak Bay’s end-of-life infrastructure.
It is probably a safe bet that “inflationary costs”, and not the no-end-in sight administration costs, will be used as the reason for another hefty property tax increase. However, we will have to wait and see how the 2023 Budget meetings play-out to learn what the reasoning will be for the inevitable tax increase.
------------------------------------------------------
“Nothing is inevitable if you are paying attention” Oak Bay Watch
Oak Bay Watch is a volunteer community association and its members have a variety of professional backgrounds in both the public and private sector.
*******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 and sign up for our newsletter – bottom of Newsletter Menu Item.