HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-09-003 - 2009 Operating Budget Reductions1
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Community Services
Report To: Chair Vrbanovic and Members of Finance & Corporate
Services Committee
Date of Meeting: January 12, 2009
Submitted By: Pauline Houston, General Manager, Community Services
Department
Prepared By: Pauline Houston (ext. 2646)
Ward(s) Involved: N/A
Date of Report: December 18, 2008
Report No.: CSD-09-003
Subject: 2009 OPERATING BUDGET REDUCTIONS-
COMMUNITYSERVICES DEPARTMENT
RECOMMENDATION:
For information.
REPORT:
As requested at the Special Finance and Corporate Services Committee on December 8, 2008,
staff has provided the following details related to the potential operating budget reductions
proposed:
Turf Temporary Labourer/ Equipment Reserve Charges x$135,000):
Operations staff is currently maintaining 965,128m2 of turf area in the City. In 2009 the area of
turf maintenance will be increasing by an additional 187,005m2, an increase of 19.38%.
The Operations Division identified "Turf Temporary Labourer" positions and the associated
increase in Equipment Reserve charges as a potential reduction to the budget for the following
reasons:
• turf maintenance is an aesthetic issue and not a life safety concern
• an increase in the turnaround time may be appropriate given the current economic
climate and budget constraints
The impact of the elimination of the proposed temporary turf crews will result in an additional
week to complete the cycle for cutting. This moves the service from three weeks, our minimum
standard, to four weeks in the best case scenario.
The potential risks associated with the service reduction are as follows:
Report No. CSD-09-003 Page 2
• there will likely be an increase in complaints relative to our cutting cycle
• contravention of the City's Property Standards By-law
Road Patrol x$21,500):
Currently there are full time roads patrollers and one part time winter roads patroller. The two
full time patrollers handle the requirements relative to the minimum maintenance standards for
all standards including winter patrol. The part time roads patroller handles only the winter patrol
portion which allows us to meet the reasonable expectation of the minimum maintenance
standards with respect to winter patrol on the weekends. The proposed increase identified
above was to accommodate an additional 16 hours of time necessary to fully fund this position
on an annual basis.
The proposed increase was to offset the difference in the wages to have this role become a full
time role matched with the turf maintenance summer functions.
This would assist in ensuring that fully qualified staff could be retained to perform the intended
functions, thereby maximizing the benefits derived from our training program and minimizing our
risks. The 16 hours required to make this into a full time position in the winter season may be
split between road patrol regular duties as well as other maintenance functions.
There will be no reduction in current service levels as a result of removing this allocation from
the budget. The only risk is that if the current incumbent leaves the position it may be again
difficult to find qualified staff prepared to work the weekend shift.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The two options outlined above, if implemented, would result in a reduction in the overall City's
operating budget increase for 2009 by $156,500.
COMMUNICATIONS:
N/A
Pauline Houston, General Manager
Community Services Department