PERIOD REPORT
DATE: January 27, 2025 Report No. ADM-25-001
TO: Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Deb Hopkins, Director of Corporate Services
SUBJECT:TITLECorporate Services - 2024 Third Period Report
Body
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Corporate Services Department from September 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.
1. DIVISION ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Corporate Services
• Preparation and publication of:
o 3 advertisements - 2 for Advisory Committee Recruitment, 1 for Notice of the 2024 Council / COTW Meeting Schedule.
o 6 Statutory Notices - 1 Notice of Disposition, 1 Notice of Amendment, 1 Notice of Tax Sale, 1 Notice of Tax Exemption Bylaw, 1 Notice of Public Hearing, and 1 Notice for the 2025 Council / COTW Meeting Schedule.
o 17 Meeting Notices and associated newspaper advertisements.
o 21 agendas and minutes for Regular, Special, and In Camera meetings of Council and Committee of the Whole, including posting on website and notice boards.
o 6 late item agenda notices.
o 8 Council meeting Action Reports and completion of all follow up correspondence and distribution to third parties.
• 25 Staff Reports or Memos written and presented to Council/COTW.
• 60 Staff Reports and Memoranda reviewed for agenda approval.
• 77 resolutions voted on at Special Council, Regular Council and Committee of the Whole meetings providing staff direction (see Attachment 1).
• 2 Public Hearing and Development Variance Permit statutory public notices and newspaper advertisements reviewed.
• 4 presentations and delegations coordinated and scheduled to Committee of the Whole.
• 11 documents commissioned by staff for residents of Esquimalt.
• 5 proclamations prepared and posted to the Municipal website and Municipal Hall notice board.
• 3 landmark illumination requests processed in partnership with Parks & Recreation.
• 567 mail items processed for retention and distribution.
• 9 electronic registrations at Land Title Office.
• Conducted research for Council and staff on previous communications, resolutions, bylaws, policies, and statutory requirements.
• Committee Coordinator attended 1 Special Joint Council meeting for the City of Victoria, Township of Esquimalt, and the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board.
• Coordinated the half masting of flags for the:
o National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th.
o National Aboriginal Veterans Day on November 8th
o Remembrance Day on November 11th
o Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women Day on December 6th
o Memoriam of former premier John Horgan.
• Arranged for the Canadian Armed Forces speaker video to play at the November 4 Council meeting in honour of the Remembrance Day week.
• All Corporate Services staff attended corporate bystander intervention training.
• 1 staff member attended Parliamentary Procedure training.
• Prepared and presented new Council Policy ADMIN-82, Committee of the Whole Terms of Reference.
• Facilitated process for approval of 2025 Council appointments to internal and external boards.
• Prepared and presented to Council the annual schedule of regular Council and COTW meetings for 2025.
• Attended the Local Government Management Association (LGMA) Corporate Officer’s Forum.
• Recruited and onboarded auxiliary Meeting Technology Operators to assist with livestreaming of meetings.
• Initiated 2025 By-election preparation and completion of required administrative tasks.
• Initiated lease extension for Municipal Archives location.
• Revised Policy ADMIN-40 Appointment Process - Advisory Committees, Commissions, and Board of Variance.
• Initiated research to explore options to offer closed captioning for webcast Council and Committee meeting videos.
• Staff attended the following Township events:
o Annual Volunteer Recognition
o Raising of the flags of the Kosapsum and the Songhees Nations
o Annual Employee Long Term Service Recognition
2. Advisory Committees and Commissions
• Completed the annual Advisory Body recruitment process, recruiting 5 new members and re-appointing 7 existing members to new terms.
• Provided orientation training to new and existing Advisory Body members.
• Provided administrative support to a Local Grants Committee meeting including preparation of the agenda and minutes.
• Completed the coordination, preparation and posting of notices, agendas and minutes of 1 Advisory Planning Commission meeting, 2 APC Design Review Committee meetings, 3 Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee meetings, and 1 Environment, Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee meeting.
• Attended 3 Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee meetings.
• Presented the inaugural Accessibility Plan for public comment and Council endorsement.
• Facilitated SPARC BC grant submission for accessible playground equipment.
3. Administrative support for Mayor & Council and CAO
• Prepared 17 letters for Mayor and CAO [retirement/invitations/thank you/congratulations] and other Township related business.
• Coordinated registrations for conferences / forums / seminars for the CAO, Mayor and Council.
• Organized and coordinated pick up or delivery of 18 new resident welcome packages.
• Liaised with various organizations on events and provided RSVPs for the CAO, Mayor and Acting Mayor.
• Hosted 2 Mayor’s Open Doors at the Municipal Hall, with more planned for
next year.
• Attended the Administrative Professionals Conference in Victoria with 120 participants from all over BC and represented Esquimalt as a panelist for one of the seminars.
• Organized, coordinated, and participated in regional Executive Assistant Administration meetings, hosted by different municipalities; 3 meetings per year are planned for 2025.
• Organized and coordinated the Volunteer Recognition luncheon, gift bags and invitations for Committees of Council that contribute their time significantly to the Township.
4. Records, Information, and Privacy Management
• Presented Records Management Summer Series staff training sessions regarding statutory regulations, policy, procedures and compliance.
• Delivered one on one records management training for new employees across departments.
• Drafted department Records Management Briefs to document records management status and identify priority projects for completion.
• Scheduled regular meetings with department managers to review where they are creating and keeping official records and developed records management plans accordingly to meet requirements.
• Updated physical records off siting procedures with Access FileBRIDGE service for department authorized users to administrate their own requests and reduce costs for calls for service.
• Completed multiple years records destruction process for Finance/Payroll department.
• Initiated updating of physical records management training and reference materials.
• Continued cleaning up and confirming accuracy of TAB Fusion physical records system for migration to a new system in future.
• Developing electronic records management staff training for presentation in Q1 2025 regarding official records printing, filing, storage and retention.
• Continued review of the Records Classification & Retention Schedule (RCRS) to ensure it aligns with new LGMA Records Management Manual (2024) best practices and Township needs.
• Updated the Records Information & Privacy Coordinator (RIPC) Manual documenting records procedures and duties for all departments.
• Drafted an email FOI call for records (CFR) template to include all locations staff are to search for records and an affidavit acknowledgement that due diligence is conducted.
• Processed 7 requests for access to records under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
• 6 Privacy Impact Assessments submitted for review.
• Initiated development of Privacy Impact Assessment training for municipal staff expected to be delivered starting in Q1 2025.
• Recruited and onboarded Freedom of Information Assistant.
• FOI Assistant and Head, Freedom of Information completed LGMA Freedom of Information and Privacy training.
5. Archives
• The Archives public reference room continues to welcome the community while a portion of the archives permanent collection is stored on the main floor of Municipal Hall.
• The Archivist is now working with the Communications Manager to put exhibit material online. These online exhibits on both our website and our social media platforms increase access and awareness of the Archives to residents.
• Exhibit installed in the Municipal Hall lobby and posted online showcasing the history of early public schools in Esquimalt.
• Remembering “The Bluebirds:” Esquimalt Nurses in World War I commemorative photo exhibit shared for the first two weeks of November.
• Exhibit created, installed in the Municipal Hall lobby and posted online highlighting the Fraser Street Recreation Centre 50th anniversary.
• Planning and design, started for a new exhibit on notable trees in Esquimalt.
• Collaborated with Parks and Recreation staff, providing historical information and digitized photos to help celebrate the Fraser Street Recreation Centre 50th anniversary on December 12, 2024.
• 24 research and image requests received.
• 3 donations of archival material accepted from the public.
• 1 municipal transfer received.
• Archives Association of BC training webinars “Archives 101” and "Fighting Fungi: Mould Control Solutions for Archives" completed by Archives staff.
• Attended volunteer recognition event October 26, 2024, created a photo display to share historical municipal photos and information.
• 346 volunteer hours contributed to the Archives this period with 5 regular volunteers attending.
• Archives Trust Fund balance is $4,595.40
• The Archivist collaborated with the Communications Manager to post 3 archival exhibits online.
6. COMMITTEES
The Director or Corporate Services is a member of:
• Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee
The Deputy Corporate Officer is a member of:
• ARMA Vancouver Island (Association of Records Managers and Administrators)
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
1. 2024 3rd Period Council Resolutions