Central Frontenac Council -
Mar 24/08
By Jeff Green
New public works manager the key for Central
Frontenac
Late last year Central Frontenac underwent a major organizational
review, and the resulting report was presented to council at the end
of January.
This week, at their regular meeting, Acting CAO John Duchene
presented council with an implementation plan in response to the
report. The first item on his list of priorities is filling a
position that has been vacant for 14 months: that of public works
manager.
A hiring process that took place a year ago did not
yield a suitable candidate, and a second attempt is now underway.
Duchene underlined how important this hiring process is to the
municipality when he wrote in a report to council that, “The most
significant ‘organizational’ changes facing the municipality
occur in management within this department. It is hoped that this
person should be in place, no later than the end of May.”
Duchene also pointed out that the new person should be allowed to
“develop a degree of ownership over the suggested management
changes” furthering the view that major changes to the public works
department should be delayed until a new public works manager is
found.
Interviews for the position are scheduled for the
next couple of weeks.
The organizational review noted that morale in the
public works department is a concern, and pointed as well to
logistical problems in the current operations of the roads
department.
Duchene did recommend that certain measures can be
taken in public works before the manager is hired, including a review
of job descriptions and salaries.
In non-public works related activities of the
township, Duchene recommended that steps be taken in short order.
An organizational chart (excluding public works)
will be presented to council at their next meeting. New job
descriptions, again excluding public works, are expected by July 15.
The appointment of township staff to those positions is to be
confirmed by August 1, and the salary review completed by September
15.
Duchene’s implementation report included a
four-page summary of all the consultant’s recommendations, broken
down into departments.
“I think this process is huge,” said Mayor Janet
Gutowski, “it’s important, and we have to start somewhere.”
“The process John recommends is good. I think the
major changes are in public works and we need a public works manager
first. I agree with the report,” said Councillor Frances Smith.
Duchene asked that a three-member steering committee
of councilors be appointed to oversee the steps he has proposed.
“It is a three-meeting commitment, maximum,”
Duchene said, “but there may be a lot of reading.”
Councillors Gary Smith, Bob Harvey, and Frances
Smith volunteered to sit on the steering committee.
Other notes from council:
Rural Routes request for funding - A letter, along
with a request for $15,000, was received from the Rural Routes
Transportation Service. Although the service is active in other
jurisdictions, the vast majority of its rides are delivered in
Central Frontenac, some 2890 in the eight months between July ’07
and the end of February ’08.
The request was deferred until budget deliberations.
Rural Routes representatives also asked to make a presentation to the
budget meeting, but this request was denied because it is not
available to other groups who are seeking funding support. Rural
Routes has been invited to a regular council meeting on April 14.
Clow zoning – Further to the plan for a
seniors’ residence in Hinchinbrooke, the township planning
consultant has confirmed that the Clows, who are planning to expand
an existing seniors’ residence to accommodate 10 people, will need
to have their property re-zoned, and before that can take place a
water investigation will be necessary to determine the quality and
quantity of water at the location. The zoning change will need to
take place before other permits are considered.
