A service review that recommended sweeping changes in City of Powell River operations is officially history.
Council directed staff at the May 2 committee-of-the-whole meeting to delete from the action list items associated with a proposed service review committee.
The city received $75,000 from the provincial government for the review and contracted the Helios Group in 2011 to conduct it. It submitted its findings in 2012, in a report titled City of Powell River’s General Operations, Service Delivery and Organizational Review.
The review found that the city was not in a financially sustainable position and highlighted nine key findings, with the first one stating the city needed to reduce costs and develop a mentality shift toward a leaner organization.
Subsequently, council voted to establish a 15-person select committee that was supposed to make recommendations on implementing the review. The city advertised for residents to submit a covering letter and resumé detailing relevant experience and qualifications to participate on the select committee. About eight people responded, according to Mac Fraser, the city’s chief administrative officer, who made the recommendation to delete the items from the action list.
Fraser’s rationale stated that council’s strategic priorities for 2013-2014 directed the completion of an operational review by staff that will advise upon services and service levels.
“I’m not really a big fan of the Helios report,” Fraser told councillors at the committee meeting. “I think it was well intended. I don’t think it was knowledgeable of local government and I think the author actually would agree that they did not have enough time and resources to do justice to all things.”
For what the Helios report did, it was of value, Fraser added. “Before you enter into a further service review, I think I’d like you to invest in me and senior staff to bring you our review,” he said. “That does not preclude you doing it another time.”
On June 6, Fraser said, he is planning on bringing a report that outlines his proposed operational review in more detail. “I’m bringing you forward a draft corporate plan, which is the follow on to your strategic priorities,” he said. “Embedded within that will be the operational review.”
At the same meeting, councillors directed staff to make minor changes to the 2013-2014 strategic priorities. Three of the recommendations were to move the timeline for proposed projects forward.
None of the changes were related to comments made by members of the public at a consultation meeting on April 2. “This report in no way diminishes all the great information that you personally gleaned and Geoff Allan also gleaned and reported to you at the last committee meeting about the appetite for engagement, the need for consultation and discussion in the community,” said Fraser. “My intention is to take the notes about process, engagement, the appetite for a full strategic plan and apply that to the strategic plan.”
Allan is the consultant hired by the city to facilitate the public consultation meeting. He reported his findings at the April 18 committee-of-the-whole meeting.
