I have read it again, ,again and again. Searching over and over for an explanation.
Why Fort Erie and Bradford West Gqillimbury were among comparator municipalities chosen by the consultants for their study of service levels in Aurora.
Fort Erie is away from the epicenter that is the GTA. In Niagara Region.
Bradford West Gwillimbury is part of Simcoe County the largest County in Ontario. But not a Region.
Fort Erie's population is 30,000. Police services are regional. Fire protection is volunteer . Commercial and industrial assessment are negligible.
Fort Erie's budget is $19million about a third of our own but carried by half the number of Aurora's population.
Bradford was amalgamated with West Gwillimbury , a rural township in 1999. Their population is a under 30,000. They too have little commercial or industrial assessment to share the tax burden. Residential property carries the load,
They operate a police department in partnership with Innisfil. They have eight full-time people in the fire department. The Firefighters are volunteers. There's a court house in Bradford. Security is provided by the police department.
In York, that's a regional responsibility.
Bradford West Gwillimbury has hundreds of miles of road to maintain in winter and summer,
Gravel roads wash out in heavy rains.
Maintenance is ongoing, year round.
Farmlands are not assessed at the same rate as urban.
Aurora' s fire protection budget is over 7 million dollars. The library budget is over $4million.
Aurora-Newmarket operate joint fire protection. Newmarket is the senior partner because they are the largest . Not because they are the contractor.
I'm not poring over budgets for details Bits and pieces I obtained in two phone conversations. Precise figures are on web sites of the two municipalities. But for my purpose,it's not certainty of detail is not required.
Comparative per capita cost for service levels not comparative are not likely.
Because they are not, overall placement of Aurora's percentages would be skewed.
Input to the study from the Mayor and Council indicates the community is well pleased with service levels. No concerns are noted with a continually increasing tax burden and gadabout spending.
All Councillors are noted to have participated. I didn't. Seems all who did agreed everything in the garden is rosy.
Interviews were private.
It states Newmarket clears snow at 50 miles per hour. Aurora 41.
The study contends that's higher level of service . Results in higher costs therefore.
I don't think so.
Straight salt is used on primary roads. Sand on secondary.
Also a higher service level justifying higher cost.
I don't think so.
The study makes no reference to requirement for a million dollar treatment facility to remove salt from snow, removed from streets. to be dumped in a well head area.
Where there is salt, there is no snow. No need for warmer temperatures of Spring to melt
Salt is used to melt snow and ice.
Straight salt spread on street means no snow to remove from said street.
That's its purpose.
Input to the study from the administration, indicates a need to "push down " responsibility for decision making to lower echelons to give the CAO time for high level planning.
Apparently people in management positions are in need of skills training to meet the responsibilities of management positions.
Need for re-organisation is indicated in the study. We did that four years ago following another consultant study.
The administration is managed by an Executive Leadership Team. Used to be know as Management Team. More collaboration is needed between Directors who form the Executive Leadership Team .
I'm not done yet.
Saturday, 5 October 2013
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11 comments:
Someone goofed big time. Lessons in comparison only work between equals.
In many companies and governments employees are able to earn bonuses for coming up with suggestions that result in both time and money saving.
Why does Aurora not create an Incentive Program to accomplish the above?
And no, we do not need a consultant to devise the program.
Idly wondering if they simply gave up on finding similar towns when they learned about the fiscal structure of the Centre.
@12:52
That is a fine idea. Council might even be persuaded to create your program. Lord knows, they can't create anything of their own. But I must rain a bit on your parade. Given the mutual hug-a-thon on the adoption of the budget, there is no will to save either time or money. They truly believe that they are doing a good job. The Mayor is on record as not approving of even trying for no tax increase. His long letter of convoluted reasoning was in the Auroran.
Politicians appear to succeed by buying us with our own money.
This has got to stop!
They exist to serve us.
I have no idea what councillors might have told the consultants about town operations during their private interviews. Strictly speaking, it would not to too likely that they would confess to any failure on their part to perform their own jobs of directing the business of Aurora.
Compare agendas between the Bradford & Aurora Councils. They do not mess around with neighbourhood quarrels.
12:52
Councillor Humfryes: " I strongly suggest we refer that excellent idea back to staff so that we can see what other municipalities are doing...so we have a clearer notion of what is required . and whatever costs might be involved . possibly an open house so that we can hear from all those who..... "
A likely reason for the comparisons is that the consultant did other work where these municipalities were involved (or was readily available from another study). Quite simply use the same information and throw Aurora in the mix. Call the old report up on the computer and do a bit of editing, change the numbering and a few of the titles and there it is.
The only original work is to invoice the town.
It's done all the time by consultants for all levels of government. Consultants know these reports are sent to file or otherwise collect dust. They are usually worked on by junior staff and then given a nice cover and a glowing thank you letter.
It sounds as though you have been marginalized in this report. I find it difficult to understand why the consultants did not just phone you with their questions. It is not as if you are off the radar.
Possibly Clr. Humfryes can find gainful employment as a consultant to municipalities.
She could be given the task of organizing and hosting open houses, and then summarizing the results.
Wonder how long she would last?
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