Councillors in Sechelt got their first look at the list of projects and other new spending the district’s department heads are hoping to get approved for the 2021 budget at their Nov. 25 committee of the whole meeting.
The report on “one-time and new ongoing costs” also included a summary of projects the community associations would like to see go forward.
Director of finance David Douglas said the proposals outlined in his report are the ones that would “typically require a change in the level of service the district provides to its citizens.”
Councillors said they were willing to support most of the items on the list being included for the purposes of the upcoming budget discussions, but Coun. Alton Toth said he wanted to have a separate discussion on the staffing requests.
Toth said his estimate is that, if they all get approved, it would mean adding 12.5 new full-time equivalent positions to the district workforce. “That’s a big increase… It’s reasonable to add some staff to the complement, I just want us to have a more complete discussion around staffing.”
Mayor Darnelda Siegers agreed, saying the discussion should include a look at the work plans “so that we look at how the staff complements support the work plan that we’re looking to staff to do… I don’t think this is the time to look at whether we include those [new positions] or not.”
Among the new staff positions on the table are a full-time technical support person, an administrative assistant and an executive assistant.
In the brief business cases outlined in the report, the need for an executive assistant, at an estimated cost of $93,920, is explained by pointing out the district’s administration department is “the only department without clerical support [and] the administrative assistants in other departments have full workloads and are unable to assist.”
If approved, the executive assistant would work under the CAO and human resources manager.
A similar justification is given for adding an admin assistant for the department at a cost of $72,000.
The tech support position, which would require an additional $75,716 per year, is justified by the increasing size of the district’s IT infrastructure – which in the last 10 years has come to include 16 tablets, seven additional servers and 31 more computers. The report also notes that there’s been an increase in demand for online services.
The list being brought forward to the committee also includes at least one position that was put on hold during the 2020 budget discussions – a community safety coordinator, who would be a new civilian employee at a cost of about $72,000 per year.
The coordinator would work on community-based crime prevention programs, such as Block Watch or Citizens on Patrol, and help with regular front-office tasks like criminal record checks.
Councillors have already given approval in principle to the local detachment’s request for an additional “municipal” officer, to be cost-shared with the province. According to the RCMP, the anticipated cost associated with each municipal officer in fiscal 2021-22 will be about $186,559, with the district covering 70 per cent. That request is not part of the list the committee will consider Nov. 25; it will come back later in the budget process.
Budget requests coming forward from the community associations include the Davis Bay, Selma Park, Wilson Creek Community Association’s desire to see a sidewalk along the north side of Highway 101 from Bay Road to the Pier 17 building and to have the district “approach the [Bella Beach] hotel to see about new owners contributing funds towards the sidewalk.”
The community associations in East Porpoise Bay, Tillicum Bay and Tuwanek made several requests related to trails and beach access.
The Sunshine Heights Owners and Residents Association also had requests tied to walking paths and maintenance of beach accesses as well as a request for new sidewalk along Fairway Avenue.
The Sechelt Downtown Business Association (SDBA) is hoping for budget approval for “a self-cleaning public washroom” equipped with a time lock that “will open the door and turns off the lights after a certain amount of time.” The group said it plans to apply for grant funding to support that request.
The SDBA is also hoping the 2021 budget will include improvements to Periwinkle Lane, new trees on Cowrie Street, “beautification pieces,” and trees and planters for Wharf Avenue.
According to a timeline presented to council at its Nov. 18 meeting, the finance department expects to start public consultation and outreach on the budget the week of Nov. 30.
