What A Difference A Manager Makes!

OPINION
Core Services Review
to be complete by March 31/16

For several years now I have watched as Councillor Kipp attempted to get previous council's to undertake a core services review. He did not have the support of the majority of council, and certainly did not have the support of staff. It is my opinion, that these exercises are always seen as a slash and burn program and few people wanted to be subject to that kind of scrutiny.

Some previous councillor's seemed to buy into the staff's different options of doing self-evaluations and I believe some even tried to suggest the strategic plan was a form of a core review. Any reason to not actually do a proper core review seemed to be accepted by council.

This current council has been pushing for a core review since being elected and until the previous city manager quit his job, the core review was still not in play. Even though months and months have passed, with what appeared to be the usual foot dragging on the part of staff when it came to completing something they weren't too fond of.

On November 19, Ms Samra began working for the city in the capacity of interim city manager and by the December 14 special city council meeting she was able to announce that a company has been selected to do the core services review and it will be complete by March 31/16.

This was the same meeting at which Ms Samra announced an annual saving of $816,000.00 by downsizing at the executive level of city hall.