Report to: General Committee                                                  Report Date: October 15, 2007

 

 

SUBJECT:                          Recreation Services – 2007 Staff Implementation Schedule

PREPARED BY:               Barbara M. Roth, Director, Recreation Services, Ext. 7515

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report titled “Recreation Services – 2007 Staff Implementation Schedule” be received;

 

And that the Recreation Services Staff Implementation Schedule for 2007 be approved;

 

And that Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

 

 

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to outline the implementation plan for Recreation Services as requested by Council at the April 16, 2007, General Committee meeting.

 

 

BACKGROUND:

The Recreation Department conducted an organizational review, the results of which were presented to members of Council in a series of two workshops, followed by reports and presentations to General Committee on April 16 and April 24, 2007.

 

At the April 16, 2007, meeting, Council approved the transfer of the Culture Services portfolio to the Commissioner of Community & Fire Services.  This has been implemented.   Council further approved the amount of $232,776 in the 2007 budget for Recreation Services realignment, and requested staff to report back on an implementation process.

 

The organizational review for the Recreation Services division proposed increases to the overall staff complement of over 11 full-time positions, and total annualized costs of approximately $1.2 million.  Based on feedback from Council, staff have re-evaluated the plan and detailed an alternate staff implementation plan.

 

Staff are proposing to use the existing dollars allocated in the 2007 Operating Budget to address the immediate pressures and continue with the existing structure, with minor internal modifications.

 

 

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

Currently, Recreation Services is organized along functional lines – Recreation Programs, Community Centre Operations- with limited business and operational support.  The review proposed a district based model for Recreation Services with a small planning wing to support frontline and coordinate business needs within the department as a whole.  The proposal called for over 11 new FTE’s over five years, at a cost of approximately $1.2 million.

 

Recognizing Council’s feedback relative to moving to a district model, and due to the related costs, we are proposing to utilize the existing dollars contained in our 2007 Operating Budget to address our immediate pressures by hiring three positions:

 

  1. Manager of Program, Policy & Development – Grade 11
  2. Business Analyst – Grade 8
  3. Administrative Assistant – Grade 4

 

The Manager and Business Analyst positions are new.  The Administrative Assistant position currently exists in Strategic Services and is funded through salary gapping.

 

The Manager of Program, Policy & Development will:

 

  • provide the leadership and strategic policy development for programs
  • address program groups such as drop-in programs, special needs, and volunteer recruitment and training
  • coordinate research and policy development
  • community consultation such as developing allocation policies for gym and pool use
  • conduct stakeholder focus groups
  • develop the department’s three year business plan
  • develop Risk Management Policies
  • develop policies such as Fee Assistance for programs
  • consult with various social service groups
  • research trends and new policy development
  • develop pricing strategies and pricing guidelines per product group based on market research and consultation with user groups
  • develop and implement customer satisfaction measurement tools

 

The Business Analyst will:

 

  • provide the business and financial support within the department
  • act as the point person for finance and human resources related issues
  • coordinate the department’s annual operating budget consisting of 218 cost centres
  • complete monthly variance analysis
  • analyze user fees to the market
  • update fee schedules and By-Law matters
  • minister and track the department’s capital program; on average 50 plus projects totaling $1.8 – 2.8 million
  • point person for the department with Asset Management in terms of updating the Life Cycle database
  • point person with Finance for PSAB and soft services
  • point person with Human Resources on payroll process and variances

 

The Administrative Assistant remains unchanged and will:

 

  • process Sportsfield and Milne Park requests
  • produce facility allocation permits
  • track insurance and compliance forms
  • distribute and track invoices associated with permits

 

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE: (external link)

Utilize the existing dollars in the 2007 Operating Budget to implement the staff implementation schedule for Recreation Services.

 

The total cost of $267,990 is funded, $232,776 from the Recreation Services 2007 Organizational Review allocation, and $35,215 to be funded by reallocating costs within the Commission.

 

 

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Recreation Services

Financial Services

Strategic Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDED

                            BY:    ________________________          ________________________

                                      Barbara M. Roth,                               Allan Seabrooke,

                                      Director, Recreation Services              Commission Lead,

                                                                                                Community & Fire Services

                                                                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q:\Strategic Services\Members\Allan Seabrooke\Report - Rec Services ReOrg 10 15 07.doc