We’re a small township, but why such a massive staff ?

Re: Waterloo Region amalgamation doesn’t look like a dead issue — Aug. 3

I read with interest Owen Lackenbauer’s comparative analysis regarding the plethora of elected officials throughout municipal jurisdictions in Waterloo Region.

I live in Wellesley Township, population just over 11,000, and feel his comparison only scratches the surface as beneath each jurisdiction is a large body of staff — a large expense for taxpayers to bear.

I am confident that if we would overlay the staff of Wellesley Township on the staff of Woolwich or Wilmot, we will find significant duplication of staff roles. For example, in Wellesley over and above the mayor and four councillors, we have a chief administrative officer, a clerk, a chief building officer, a building inspector, a treasurer, an IT co-ordinator, a director of public works, a director of recreation, an administrative assistant, a financial clerk, a bylaw enforcer, a senior lead hand, a facilities co-ordinator, and I’m certain, some I have missed.

A significant number of staff.

Let’s not forget that this staffing level is for 11,000 people! Surely merging the staff roles with other townships would result in a staff reduction — a significant salary expense reduction. Add to this in Wellesley staff are entitled to an additional day off per month basically for showing up to work. That’s 12 days per year, more than two weeks of “paid holidays” in addition to what they already are eligible for.

Our elected leaders have to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and work to find ways to cut costs, not to find ways to keep increasing staff and expenses for such a small township!

Eugene Bersenas

St. Clements