While the responsibility for reviewing the types of services we provide, and level of service provided, is a direct responsibility of Council, finding operational efficiencies is an ongoing responsibiltiy of City staff.
Staff identify priority areas for operational reviews in their annual workplans. The new budget process also provides an opportunity for Council to provide input on those priorities.
There are several areas under review this year. These are a few of them:
Fuel cost and usage - The price of fuel has increased dramatically. Our fleet service is implementing an anti-idling program to reduce fuel consumption. They are purchasing high efficiency vehicles. And they are seeking E3 certification. In early 2008, the City of Guelph was selected to participate in an E3 (Energy, Environment, Excellence) review. Through this independent and comprehensive audit of fleet service, we will identify additional ways to improve fuel efficiency.
By-law enforcement – By improving the way by-law enforcement is administered, we will be able to accommodate the growth in demand for service with existing resources. This work has allowed us to enhance the quality of service by offering 24 hour a day by-law enforcement, 7 days a week. As our CAO notes, this work represents a good example of cross-departmental collaboration to improve quality of service and be more cost-effective.
Faciltiy Energy Conservation – The City operates many facilities. Our Energy Conservation Project Manager is dedicated to finding cost savings through energy conservation. This work, and the work on fuel efficiency, also supports the goals of the Community Energy Plan.
Filed under: Excellence in Municipal Governance
In April 2008, the New Brunswick Government released their final report of the Public Engagement Initiative. The initiative was to test, through five pilot projects, a new model of public engagement that goes beyond conventional consultation processes. Their conclusion was that conventional consultation winds up with polarized debate as government is “set up” to act as judge between extreme competing interests…and the group recommended a new approach to reduce this conflict. Although the process wasn’t flawless…there may be some good lessons to learn for Guelph…
(Here’s a link to the report on the initiative: http://www.gnb.ca/0012/PDF/LLA-e.pdf
and the final report of a pilot “wellness” project: http://www.gnb.ca/legis/promos/wellness/pdf/FinalReport-Wellness-e.pdf)
It is seeming to me like Guelph is trying to do a lot of good consulting (although sometimes the consultations have the feeling of an “information dump” vs. a conversation). Budgets, hydro, and the list goes on…all vital stuff that affects my community. And I do want to participate and support the great place we live in – yet I’m time and energy limited to three or four nights a week of consulting is just not do-able. Neither is following every Council meeting. I elect Council to do a good job and actually vote in elections…but occasionally I wouldn’t mind providing input or comment on issues that are important to me — but not at the cost of the majority of my leisure time.
Perhaps there’s a “happy medium” of consulting, where a rotating citizen’s panel can provide “pre-work” on important issues that are considered by council… using some of the New Brunswick learnings? Something midway?
Anyway…just a thought….keep up the good work and hunts for efficiencies (my personal budget will appreciate it)!