CRD hirings approval faces hurdles
Capital Regional District directors made it clear Wednesday they will not approve new hires until they’ve looked at budget implications.
The CRD’s finance committee was presented with departmental service plans outlining the request to hire about 20 full-time equivalents in 2018.
In some instances, the proposed hires appear unavoidable such as the case with the Salt Spring Island Rainbow Road Pool. The CRD is taking over management of the recreational facility from a private contractor and that means 4.6 FTEs are needed.
Staff say many other hires are needed to keep pace with rapid growth in the region.
But directors were reluctant to even receive the staff report without specifying that by doing so, they were taking no position on recommended new hirings.
“I would hope from this committee, as we move it forward, other directors know that we’re not . . . making any determination about final decisions on this but are simply a conduit,” said Saanich Coun. Susan Brice.
“Until we do see the numbers, in terms of the cost of the taxpayers overall, I can’t make decisions in a vacuum,” said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps.
Service plans are at the foundation of the budgeting process, outlining tasks to be performed and resources needed to accomplish those duties.
If approved, staff build budgets around those service plans that still have to be vetted by directors.
How many new hires — if approved by the CRD board — would affect taxes is difficult to determine. CRD costs vary among municipalities and electoral areas, depending on services they participate in.
As well, some new employees, as in the case of CRD water, would be paid directly through utility charges.
In other cases, such as with employees hired when the CRD assumes operation of the Rainbow Road Indoor Pool, costs would be borne only by Salt Spring Island residents and recovered through a combination of savings, fees and charges for programs.
In other cases, costs could be offset by retirements or changes to how staff are deployed.