By Pepper Parr
November 18th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The following are the Notices of Motion submitted by Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns
Motion for Council to Consider:
Add the following 6 positions with a total cost of $970,845 to the 2024 Budget.
| Manager Experience Strategy and Design | $190,512 | Key Investment – Burlington Digital Services |
| Data Engineer | $138,684 | Key Investment – Burlington Digital Services |
| Platform Administrator | $157,373 | Key Investment – Human Capital Investments in Stabilizing Operations |
| Application Analyst – Workday / EAMS | $136,391 | Key Investment – Enterprise Business Services Support |
| Product Manager – Workday / EAMS | $157,373 | Key Investment – Enterprise Business Services Support |
| Solicitor – General Litigation, Municipal Law, Insurance Practice | $190,512 | Key Investment – Burlington Digital Services |
Reason:
All items if left not accommodated will result in the following: Digital transformation stagnation, workforce enablement challenges, service delivery inefficiencies, underutilized investments, security and compliance risks, impaired organizational performance, reduced engagement in service design and improvement, deterioration of employee experience, difficulty in adapting to technology changes, challenges in system maintenance and upgrades.
Motion Seconded by: Not Required
Share with Senior Staff
Approved as per form by the City Clerk,
Reviewed by the City Manager – In accordance with the Code of Good Governance, Council-Staff Relations Policy and an assessment of the internal capacity within the City to complete the work based on a specific target date (quarter/year).
Comments:
City Clerk: none
City Manager: none
Motion for Council to Consider:
Remove item Multi-year Community Investment Funding (Report CM-03-22) with a value of $2,200,000 from the 2024 Budget.
Reason:
Recommend that a decision on the above 2024 budget provision be deferred until staff can formally investigate the development and application of new financing tools including those as outlined in recent BLP workshop held on Sept 18th in support of future community development and deliver attainable housing.
New municipal infrastructure financing tools could potentially be utilized to support provision of major community infrastructure as part of any future plans for development of new strategic growth areas and other communities inclusive of BLP land related partnership opportunities. The development of future communities in collaboration with private sector organizations will most certainly yield significant financial benefits to participating organizations. As such, the opportunity to fully analyze, scrutinize and explore all other options should be considered prior to approving and collecting such a dedicated levy, notwithstanding the need for additional funding does exist for a number of reasons.
An option may include the targeted use of additional long-term City debt properly supported by economic analysis and a project business case to justify such investment. Other options may include creation of public private partnerships (PPP) in co-operation with developers; application of Tax Increment Financing by-laws as allowed for by the Province; and specific funding agreement opportunities with land owners and developers.
Motion Seconded by: Not Required
Share with Senior Staff
Approved as per form by the City Clerk,
Reviewed by the City Manager – In accordance with the Code of Good Governance, Council-Staff Relations Policy and an assessment of the internal capacity within the City to complete the work based on a specific target date (quarter/year).
Comments:
City Clerk: none
City Manager: none
Motion for Council to Consider:
Add a Seasonal Downtown Beautification Coordinator position with a total cost of $27,807.80 to the 2024 Budget.
Reason:
A gap in maintenance has occurred during the high season in downtown Burlington that will require a coordinated effort between the BIA and Staff. Ongoing construction projects, micro garbage areas, increasing frequency of vandalism and a noted increase in discarded drug needles is requiring a proactive and collaborative approach to cleanliness between the BIA and Staff. The BIA will also be seeking additional outsourcing for private property graffiti removal. Increasing challenges with unkept construction signage is eroding the downtown experience. See Appendix A.
Monitor public areas and report any issues to appropriate regional or municipal authorities, including but not limited to: illegal dumping, overflowing garbage receptacles, weeds, flooding, tripping hazards, etc.
Conduct daily micro-litter cleaning throughout the district, tracking and measuring the amount of garbage collected.
Assist with identification of tagging, graffiti and related vandalism across the public realm downtown.
Provide outdoor activation assistance to partner organizations and BIA-led projects that animate the public realm.
Work with staff to create and implement tactical work plans that ensure activities have measurable objectives, timely tactics and outcome-driven measurement.
Tasks:
Pickup up micro-litter and debris from sidewalks, curbs and park edges, tracking and measuring the amount of garbage collected
Regular light weeding of tree wells and sidewalks
Inventory instances of graffiti/vandalism and assist in remediation measures through BIA
Assist with coordination of public realm activations by funded partners, including daily installation and/or removal of tables & chairs
Motion Seconded by: Not Required Share with Senior Staff
Approved as per form by the City Clerk,
Reviewed by the City Manager – In accordance with the Code of Good Governance, Council-Staff Relations Policy and an assessment of the internal capacity within the City to complete the work based on a specific target date (quarter/year).
Comments:
City Clerk: none
City Manager: none
Motion for Council to Consider:
Add 2 additional Firefighter positions (for a total of 4) for Station #8 (2024-014) with a total additional cost of $301,419 to the 2024 Budget.
Reason:
Council endorsed the Fire Master Plan (2022) BFD-03-22 with instruction to the Fire Chief to incorporate the investments recommended into the 2023 Budget and multi-year financial simulation.
Chief to submit requests for increased resource needs as part of the City’s annual budgeting established processes. The recommendation for eight firefighters were to be phased in across two years – 2023 and 2024. (Fire Master Plan Section 8.11.1, 8.12.1)
- Hiring eight firefighters to increase the existing total career suppression complement from 172 to 180 firefighters (support minimum staffing needs at Station 8) (Immediate Priority phased over two budgets)
Operational efficiencies are achieved when training is conducted as a quad.
Overtime actuals have greatly surpassed overtime budget materially trending upward since 2018, with the investment in four firefighters the trend is expected to reverse.
Improved employee health and well-being through appropriate staffing levels.
Assists in closing the gap on recommended 1FF:1000 Pop resulting in improved safety & response time, fire suppression, public safety and hazard mitigation.
It is the conscientious to do
Motion Seconded by: Not Required Share with Senior Staff
Approved as per form by the City Clerk,
Reviewed by the City Manager – In accordance with the Code of Good Governance, Council-Staff Relations Policy and an assessment of the internal capacity within the City to complete the work based on a specific target date (quarter/year).
Comments:
City Clerk: none
City Manager: none
Motion for Council to Consider:
Add the following 7.1 high priority positions with a total cost of $844,805 to the 2024 budget:
Reason:
These positions are necessary to achieve V2F Goals.
| High Priority Staffing Addition | ||||||
| 2024-033 Analyst – Government Relations/Grants | 0.5 | $ 63,006 | $ 63,006 | SR&A | ||
| Engagement & Volunteer Coordinator | 1 | $ 119,562 | $ 119,562 | CR&E | ||
| Supervisor Customer Experience | 1 | $ 119,562 | $ 119,562 | CR&E | ||
| 2024-032 Technologist – Field Services | 2 | $ 210,896 | $ 210,896 | CPRM | ||
| Traffic Operations Student (increase fro | 0.6 | $ 29,000 | $ 29,000 | CPRM | ||
| Urban Forestry Supervisor | 1 | $ 145,406 | $ 145,406 | EICS | ||
| 2024-031 Product Manager Workday/EAMS | 1 | $ 157,373 | $ 157,373 | BDS | ||
| $ 844,805 | ||||||
Deputy Mayor identified risks to Community Engagement & Partnerships:
Re: Engagement & Volunteer Coordinator if not accommodated would support only 1.25 positions across the corporation dedicated to engagement. This approach does not allow for backfill, sustainability or the ability to conduct both the engagement and volunteer portfolios – one would require elimination. Customer service would recognize the most impactful decline in (internal and external) due to a loss of engagement opportunity currently rated as a high standard. Continuity of operations ensuing critical priorities continue to be supported, or a consistent, reliable approach that departments expect.
In 2023 staff in engagement and volunteers area had a direct role in 62 projects YTD. The current contract position supports some of the busiest departments such as
Recreation, Community and Culture, Roads, Parks and Forestry, Finance, Clerks, Transportation and Transit. In addition to these departments, significant projects such as the Resident Roster, One Brand, ward boundary review, complete communities, Food for Feedback, Former Robert Bateman High School and many others that are scheduled for 2024. In addition to this, this position plays a key role in maintaining the city’s engagement portal and calendar. There is a risk of projects such as the Resident Roster being deferred or less than optimal standards of engagement for the client department and the other larger projects should the position not be approved.
The above would be occurring in light of the renewed Community Engagement Charger activities.
Motion Seconded by: Not Required
Share with Senior Staff
Approved as per form by the City Clerk,
Reviewed by the City Manager – In accordance with the Code of Good Governance, Council-Staff Relations Policy and an assessment of the internal capacity within the City to complete the work based on a specific target date (quarter/year).
Comments:
City Clerk: none
City Manager: none
Motion for Council to Consider:
Redirect $50,000 of funding from the City Bench program in 2024 to the Infrastructure Renewal Reserve Fund and request that the Mayor consider inclusion of City Bench program in the 2025 Budget.
Reason:
This project is to implement the placement of new benches throughout the City. New bench locations will be determined annually by Council members. Bench location requests are often solicited in the early part of the year and installed in the late summer. There are a number of limitations on where a bench can be installed per report ES-40- 21 Appendix A.
Whereas this can be viewed as one way to engage with community members, in a year with significant pressures on capital and staff capacity I believe these should be considered net new infrastructure as this is above and beyond the City’s bench installation and replacement plan.
It is important to note that Hydro Corridors were not candidates in the 2023 Councillor’s Bench program and are under review. It is also important to note that while a choice of Black or Pride Rainbow are both options for benches, there are many ways to signal support to the LGBTQIA2S+ Community across the city.
A pause on this program can also assist Staff with improved well-being and corporate culture as it is a significant effort to communicate, administer, engineer, site visit and procure this initiative through Engineering Services Landscape Architect staff.
Lastly, I view this as an increase in service or capital investment as these are above and beyond what Staff recommend. The Budget Town Hall reported only 22% support for increase in city service.
Question #2- Would you like to see City service increased, stay current or decrease? 362 votes
- Increase- 22%
- Stay- 67%
- Decrease- 11%
Motion Seconded by: Not Required Share with Senior Staff
Approved as per form by the City Clerk,
Reviewed by the City Manager – In accordance with the Code of Good Governance, Council-Staff Relations Policy and an assessment of the internal capacity within the City to complete the work based on a specific target date (quarter/year).
Comments:
City Clerk: none
City Manager: none
I basically agree with Councillor Kearns.
But WTF is a “Seasonal Downtown Beautification Coordinator”
Part Time Janitor?