Many are called, few are chosen. Fewer still will be approved.
With 15 program changes (budget additions) suggested, representing a net tax impact to Springwater residents of $975,474 or 5.12 per cent, township council spent Monday evening debating the value of the suggested additions versus the cost to taxpayers during its most recent budget meeting.
With the exception of the first item on the list — which was a need not a want, being new fire department management dispatch software worth between $15,000 and $25,000 annually — all of the requests were for additional personnel. According to senior management, this is required to right-size the township’s workforce.
The fire department’s request was approved to move on to the next round of approvals, which will be held Wednesday starting at 1 p.m. at the township’s administration centre on Nursery Road.
At council’s direction, the township’s senior management prioritized each of their requests based on the following criteria:
- impacts on service delivery
- revenue-generating capability
- address current and future growth requirements
“The list of program changes encompassed a collective means, in order of magnitude, that the leadership team feels the township requires to move forward,” finance director Greg Bedard said as he introduced the evening’s agenda.
On the list to be considered were a manager of recreation and culture; two "operator one" positions for parks and recreation; one "operator two" position for parks and recreation; director of people and talent; tax and utility co-ordinator; development engineering technologist; public works support assistant (moving a part-time role to full-time); two equipment operators for public works; economic development officer (EDO); junior financial analyst; co-ordinator of culture and events and Elmvale District High School recreation program staff.
Eliminated Monday night from consideration were manager of recreation and culture, director of people and talent, two "operator one" positions for parks and recreation, equipment operator (public works) and co-ordinator of culture and events.
The manager of recreation and culture and the co-ordinator of culture and events were positions Mayor Jennifer Coughlin thought were worth investing in.
Coughlin said staff has being volunteering for years to support the township’s many events, from Autumnfest to tree-lightings. She said it wasn’t fair.
“This is staff stepping outside of their role, above and beyond, and that’s what this corporation has been doing for far too long,” the mayor said. “Because the juggling balls haven’t hit the floor or exploded doesn’t mean that we don’t need to right-size.”
Deputy Mayor George Cabral said the township doesn’t need the roles at this moment.
“When you look at Springwater Township, it’s not like some other areas farther south where they really do have a cultural and ethnic diversity that is explicit,” he said. “Schools, activities, temples, religious festivals — all those kinds of things.
“We’re just on the cusp of that and I really, to be quite frank, don't know if we're at the stage where this particular piece, with the word 'culture,' like we’re going to have a culture department, is really where we're at just yet,” Cabral added. “Especially when we’re already looking at 14.7 per cent increase, even though we’re trying to pare it down somewhat.”
And while council was in a paring mood, it did allow one returning item — an economic development officer — to move on to the next round for consideration.
The role has been a recommended addition to the township’s personnel roster for years, but has been defeated for a variety of reasons.
Coun. Danielle Alexander, who was against adding the position last year, said she talked about the role with Doug Herron, the township’s director of planning and development services. She said that discussion swayed her opinion somewhat.
“He had some very good thoughts and I was very intrigued in how he sees this position moving forward,” she said.
“The position is directly related to increasing the revenue of the organization," Herron said, "but it should be understood that it will take a number of years to build a program to realize those returns in terms of successful growth of business in the township.
“Two key goals would be to champion small business and to bring new investment and new business to the municipality," he added.
To do that, Herron said the first step would be building connections at the regional level and updating the township’s economic development plan.
“In that plan, what I would be looking for is what are the specific industries that we can go out and solicit to bring here that would be successful,” he said.
“And higher again, that position would be charged with going out and making connections with the ministry of industry, ministers of tourism at both the provincial and federal level and getting to know their staff so we would have higher connectivity to grant monies," Herron added.
Coun. Anita Moore wondered if it would be best to put off making a decision on the fate of the economic development officer role until the township got back the growth management study that was commissioned by the township’s growth and economic viability ad hoc committee.
The committee hired WSP, an engineering and professional services firm, to complete the growth management study at a cost of just under $200,000.
“The sooner the township endeavours to hire an EDO and start creating programs to grow our economy, the sooner we’ll gain traction on that economy,” Herron said. “How soon does council want to see traction to begin to grow the economy and adjust our tax base so it’s less residential heavy and a little stronger on the commercial, industrial side?”
