Council lays out its four-year priority lists
A new list of city council priorities for the new four-year term marks a departure from business as usual, including a look to shed salaries by contracting out services and writing a new mandate for the land office.
Bulk land sales to private developers by the city, which is the largest local land holder, could be in the offing, as well as buying up new properties in certain areas to package for businesses or city use.
Mayor Ted Clugston said the items, listed among 33 “key results” under five general categories, aren’t that much of a departure from the past.
“We’ve talked about it (contracting out) quite a bit and even the last council (from 2013 to 2017),” he said, citing the hiring of SMG-Canada to manage the Canalta Centre.
“It’s always been on the table; contracting out services, absolutely. There are some benefits to having it in house sometimes.”
As for the land department, Clugston said, the items are a continuation of what he sees as an improving relationship with the business community.
“I hear from the private sector all the time that we shouldn’t be the biggest developer,” he said. “In the past we’ve considered selling large tracts if (private buyers) wished.”
In late January councillors met over a weekend to develop areas of interest and create a list of directions of what they would like to see done over the four-year term.
Clugston gave some hint of the priority areas in his State of the City address the following week, but the document released Monday at council’s regular meeting includes greater detail and lists of sub-goals and “key indicators.”
Section heads are “Financial responsibility,” “Economic vitality,” “Infrastructure renewal,” “Community vibrancy,” and “Sunshine hospitality.”
Among items of fiscal responsibility, the city should “explore alternative models for delivery of internal and external city services, including but not limited to not-for-profit and contracted service delivery.”
That doesn’t necessarily equate to shedding staff, according to public services committee chair Coun. Julie Friesen. “It’s very preliminary,” she told the
News, stating the city is continually examining operations. “These are options that might go along with that.”
The plan will also “review” agencies that receive city funding to in order to become more “self-sustaining.”
It also calls for a further $3 million on average each year be found in either new taxes and revenue, or by cost cutting, under the auspices of the “Financially Fit” budget plan to close a budget.
The land department is also tasked with completing some development at the regional airport and industrial nodes in the north. The list, which guides staff planning, also states they should consider sales of land not deemed strategically important, but with a focus on urban intensification.
It also calls for city hall to more actively buy properties and arrange land for consolidation, specifically in the downtown.
Coun. Darren Hirsch said the land department items relate to a general feeling that the department should create a better benchmark to determine profitability.
“Pulling it out of isolation, they top caveat of being fiscally responsible is making sure we’re efficient,” he said.
A long-standing complaint from business groups is that to have the city in bareland development (i.e. taking land through all stages of subdivision creation), has dampened private sector operations and profitability.
Four years ago a raft of changes were implemented, including a guideline to note hold more than half the residential lots on the market. Last year officials selling a major tract might be needed soon to uphold that policy as private land holdings were dwindling.
“The worst we can do is better,” by re-evaluating the department operations, said Coun. Robert Dumanowski.
“We’ll also be a land holder and developer, but we can work better with the private sector.”
The city’s next budget, spanning four years from 2019 to 2022, will be introduced next January.