Town to undergo service review

BRACEBRIDGE - Bracebridge council will be using a third-party set of eyes to look into town services.
During its final meeting of 2011, held Dec. 21, council moved forward with one of its 2012 priorities by approving $30,000 for an organizational and service delivery review. The funds will be used to retain Gazda, Houlné & Associates Inc. to handle the review and create a list of recommendations regarding any potential changes in the town’s organizational structure and service delivery model. Stemming from a meeting in late October when council set out a list of priorities for the upcoming year, the project’s goal, according to Deputy Mayor Rick Maloney, is to “help promote efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of municipal services.”
The project will be completed in two phases.
The first phase will consist of the third-party review. Maloney explained this will assess the current organizational structure and service delivery model in light of the municipality’s goals and service delivery requirements. It will identify recommendations for change that would improve the organizational structure and service delivery model, including whether employee numbers are appropriate in each department considering the population size and geographic boundaries of the municipality in comparison to other similar jurisdictions.
“Our public has asked for this and deserves it; (it will give) a better understanding of the corporation on their side (the public’s) and on our side it will help us move forward,” Mayor Graydon Smith said. “We can go outside and get an objective third-party snapshot of our organization and continue on our future work.”
He said he was pleased to see the project moving forward, adding it will be vital for the town’s future finances.
“Because there are implications with regard to staffing and our budget, I know we want to get this completed fairly quickly in terms of phase one, so we can get on with the business of 2012 and the financial implications of that report,” he said.
In the second phase, Town CAO John Sisson will create a report for council’s consideration that will detail each of the services the municipality provides, including those mandated and those that are more discretionary.
His goal will be to outline a clear review process, such as the use of a performance indicator scorecard, to promote continuous organizational improvements in the future and a plan for the town to carry out future reviews, to ensure all opportunities for efficiency, effectiveness, and cost savings are explored.
“It will give a snapshot of the organization as it is right now and some specific recommendations for us to move forward,” Sisson said, adding the project is not necessarily about finding ways to reduce staff. On the contrary, it could determine more are needed in some areas or if there’s more efficient ways to provide services.
“There may be some issues where more staff may be required or there may be areas where the consultant says there’s some shifting of employees that is needed.”
Work to begin in 2012
Sisson explained the work will begin in the new year. Although it will not likely be completed before council’s passing of the 2012 budget, it will have future financial implications.
“It’s to make sure internal processes are in place, that the organization is structured soundly and that we understand where potential pinch-points in the organization may be,” he added.
“It’s to give us a broader view of the organization.”
Gazda, Houlné & Associates Inc. is a municipal management consulting firm specializing in fields of corporate and strategic planning, organization design, compensation management and performance management, having worked with more than 140 municipalities in Ontario.