EXCELLENCE THROUGH EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS (E3)
COUNCIL STEERING COMMITTEE
CANADA ROOM
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Attendance: Mayor Frank Scarpitti Deputy Mayor Jack Heath Regional Councillor Jim Jones Councillor Joseph Virgilio |
Staff Catherine Conrad, Town Solicitor Andy Taylor, Commissioner of Corporate Services Joel Lustig, Director of Financial & Client Services Andrea Tang, Manager of Financial Planning Mark Visser, Manager of Financial Strategy & Investment Raj Raman, Senior Manager of Expenditure Control & Purchasing Barb Cribbett, Town Treasurer Ingrid Kutter, Town Auditor Rick Dominico, Manager of Corporate Quality Meg West, Manager of Strategic Initiatives Sharon Laing, Director of Human Resources Valentina Gharibo, Administrative Assistant Miriam Comerford, Senior Learning & Organizational Specialist Alan Brown, Director of Engineering Jamie Bosomworth, Manager of Strategy and Innovation Catherine Biss, Chief Executive Officer, Library Services Janet Carnegie, Director of Communication & Community Relations Sara Tam, Manager of Business Planning & Innovation Allan Seabrooke, Director of Strategic Services Laura Gold, Committee Clerk |
The first meeting of Excellence through Efficiency and
Effectiveness (E3) Council Steering Committee convened at
1. E3 (EXCELLENCE THROUGH EFFICIENCY &
EFFECTIVENESS) PRESENTATION
Andy Taylor, Commissioner of Corporate Services, provided an overview of the E3 initiative. He emphasized that E3 is not a budget exercise, but rather an exercise in continuous organizational improvement. Mr. Taylor explained the E3 formula for success is excellence through efficiency, and effectiveness, noting the following project objectives:
· Review services for revenue generating opportunities;
· Improve cost efficiency, and effectiveness of processes;
· Focus on customer and staff satisfaction;
· Focus on creating value for money and minimizing tax rate increases;
· Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) for every service category to be used as an accountability tool to measure how services are performing;
A review of the E3 roadmap to-date was also provided, which included the following:
· The E3 initiative was communicated to the Department Heads Forum on July 3, 4, & 9, 2008;
·
The E3 initiative was communicated to the Union
Executives on
· The E3 initiative was communicated to the Performance Managers and Supervisors on June 10 and 11, 2008;
·
An article was written in the Mark of Excellence
regarding the E3 Project, Supervisors discussed the E3 initiative with their
staff, and support material was placed on Checkmark in the week of
·
The first E3 Council Steering Committee held
on
·
Human Resources Staff will hold change
management sessions to share ideas, and to address staff questions and concerns
on a weekly basis starting
·
The second E3 Council Steering Committee will be held on
· A report will be brought forward to the General Committee in September/October 2008 on the E3 initiatives and its impact on the 2009 budget, and it will identify potential impacts on the 2010 and future budgets;
· Approval and implementation of long term E3 strategies - September 2008 and forward.
Mr. Taylor advised that the Executive E3 Committee will meet weekly to oversee the E3 project and to review business cases. Some of the ideas the Committee has already discussed included the following:
· Empowering staff through increased authority;
· Reducing the number of staff attending meetings;
· Implementing a recreation pricing strategy;
· Updating user fees;
· Using technology to improve service efficiency ( for example: online licenses, and use of kiosk);
· Maximizing partnership, sponsorship, and naming opportunities;
· Conducting risk assessments to assure organizational accountability, and to avoid unexpected costs;
· Monitoring customer and staff satisfaction;
· Streamlining reports going to Council;
· Consolidating similar services/processes (example: deploying GIS services, and sharing of administrative personnel);
Mr. Taylor, Commissioner of Corporate Services, presented the E3 template that staff will complete for all E3 initiatives, noting the template will assist in tracking progress. He explained that the template includes the scope of the initiative, the service level adjustment required by the initiative (if any), the alternative service delivery model represented by the initiative, and the risk assessment of the initiative.
2. APPOINTMENT OF THE CHAIR
The appointment of the Chair was deferred to the next meeting of the E3 Council Steering Committee.
3. DISCUSSION OF THE E3 INITIATIVE
It was noted that staff have done a lot of great work in a short period of time with respect to the E3 initiative, and that communication of the E3 initiative to staff at all levels of the organization has been very effective. The Committee was advised that senior management have responded well to the initiative and are viewing it as an opportunity to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
It was emphasized that the overall goal of the E3 initiative differed from the Core Services initiative in the following ways: 1) improved communication of the initiative; 2) more collective participation in the initiative; 3) more effective organization of the initiative; 4) the initiative is being conducted in context with National Quality Institute and continuous improvement; and 5) the initiative will be a continuous effort with the goal of making sustainable organizational improvements (whereas Core Services had a clear start and end point, and was perceived by staff as an initiative that the Town entered into as a cost reduction exercise).
Deputy Mayor Heath requested that a review of the Core Service initiative be conducted in terms of its effectiveness, to determine if it goals were reached, and to investigate the possible linkages between it and E3.
Mayor Scarpitti believed that, as compared to the Core Services initiatives E3 was an improved process that is being more effectively communicated to staff. He explained that an important difference is that the E3 initiative is being based on ideas that staff have identified and support, in comparison to the Core Services initiative that involved largely the ideas of external consultants.
Deputy Mayor Heath noted that it was important to look at the outcomes of the Core Services to determine where improvements can be made. Catherine Biss, Chief Executive Officer, Library Services, suggested that a good starting point would be to review the Core Services report.
Councillor Virgilio thought some of the ideas that came out of the Core Services initiative that were not effective at the time and should be revisited as they may now be effective solutions. The Committee requested that a 5-10 minute presentation reviewing the Core Services initiative be provided at the next meeting of the E3 Council Steering Committee.
Ms. Biss advised the Committee that when explaining the E3 initiative to her staff she advised them to think of how their own spending patterns have changed as a result of increased costs of food and gas. She thought staff could relate to how an organization must improve its efficiencies, and effectiveness when asked to relate to their own changes in consumption in light of the new economic climate. Councillor Virgilio noted that improvements to organization efficiency and effectiveness should occur in all economic times.
Mr. Taylor advised the Committee that the Executive E3 committee will present options and recommendations from staff to the E3 Council Steering Committee, noting that smaller ideas may also be reported to the Committee. He advised that one of the roles of the E3 Council Steering Committee will be to endorse or oppose the ideas presented. The ideas that are approved will then be brought forward to the General Committee for Council’s approval.
In conclusion, items to be brought forward to the E3 Council Steering Committee include: 1) initiatives being undertaken by the departments (for information only); 2) initiatives that require the approval of the E3 Council Steering Committee; and 3) items to be investigated by Staff upon request by motion from the E3 Council Steering Committee.
Deputy Mayor Heath requested that a comprehensive review of all revenue opportunities be conducted. He believed future revenue opportunities existed with Powerstream and Markham District Energy, noting recent changes to their financial structures should result in significant changes in their revenue. He thought this was a potential way of reducing the taxpayer burden.
MOVED BY: DEPUTY
MAYOR JACK HEATH
SECONDED BY: COUNCILLOR JOSEPH VIRGILIO
That the Commissioner
of Corporate Services provide a presentation regarding the financial structure
and potential revenue sources of Powerstream, and Markham District Energy at next
E3 Council Steering Committee.
CARRIED
Mr. Taylor advised the Committee that revenue generation is
an important focus of the E3 initiative, but that the key focus is cost
containment. He explained that one of
the outcomes identified by Click with
Deputy Mayor Heath requested a presentation on the 5-10 year impact on taxpayers with respect to municipal tax increases and the major reason for escalation.
Mayor Scarpitti explained the E3 initiative did not start with a tax increase issue, but with the goal of improving services. He noted that it was important for the Town to consider its economic climate, as the community has been affected by economic forces such as, the closing of Canac Kitchens. He also noted that as an organization grows, it is a healthy process to review its efficiency and effectiveness.
The Committee was advised that the E3 initiative is broader, and more strategic than the budget process. Deputy Mayor Heath emphasized the importance of identifying potential income sources that will permit the organization to grow.
4. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of E3 Council Steering Committee will be on
5. ADJOURNMENT
The first meeting of the E3 Council Steering Committee
adjourned at