PERIOD REPORT
DATE: May 26, 2025 Report No. ADM-25-018
TO: Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Deb Hopkins, Director of Corporate Services
SUBJECT:TITLECorporate Services- 2025 First Period Report
Body
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Corporate Services Department from January 1, 2025 to April 30, 2025.
1. DIVISION ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Corporate Services
• Preparation and publication of:
o 3 Statutory Notices for the by-election.
o 17 Meeting Notices and associated newspaper advertisements.
o 17 agendas and minutes for Council and Committee of the Whole meetings.
o 4 late item agenda notices completed.
• 7 Council meeting Action Reports produced and completed.
• 15 Staff Reports or Memos written and presented to Council/COTW.
• 43 Staff Reports reviewed for agenda approval.
• 2 Public Hearing and Development Permit statutory public notices reviewed and published in accordance with the Public Notice Bylaw.
• 56 Council resolutions tracked for staff action (see Attachment 1).
• 6 presentations and delegations coordinated and scheduled.
• 9 documents commissioned for residents.
• 2 proclamations prepared and published.
• 1 landmark illumination request completed in partnership with Parks & Recreation.
• 555 mail items processed for distribution and retention.
• 3 registrations reviewed and e-filed with the LTSA.
• Coordinated flag half-masting and raising for:
o January 27 - International Holocaust Remembrance Day
o January 29 - National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia
o March 20 - Franco-Columbian flag to honour BC Francophonie Day
o April 9 - Vimy Ridge Day
o April 26 - Observation of the funeral of the late His Holiness Pope Francis
o April 28 - Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace
• Facilitated the annual review of the Council Code of Conduct.
• Administered annual Financial Disclosure Statements and required Declarations of Related Party Transactions process for all elected officials and municipal officers
• Completed the 2025 administrative changeover for annual agenda management requirements.
• Conducted research on previous communications, resolutions, bylaws, policies, contracts/agreements, and statutory requirements as requested.
• Initiated annual policy review for all departments.
• Conducted the 2025 by-election to fill one vacant office of Councillor:
o Provided 23 nomination packages (8 completed packages returned).
o Trained 26 Election Officials at an orientation session.
o Developed handbooks for the Election Officials and Presiding Election Officials.
o Organized and ran three voting opportunities in new trial locations.
o Introduced efficiencies in the voting place using electronic Voters Lists.
o Hosted neighbouring municipal staff to demonstrate electronic voters list and new electronic voting machines and share training information on our established processes and procedures.
o Arranged publication of the Notice of Election Results in the BC Gazette.
o Presented the 2025 By-Election Report as required by statute.
o Organized the swearing of the Oath of Office and reception.
o Revised the Council appointments to Internal and External Committees, Commissions, and Boards at Council’s direction, and advised the applicable bodies accordingly.
2. Staff Training & Development
• Staff attended the following training and development opportunities:
o Accessibility as a Human Right webinar hosted by the Inclusion Project
o Administrative Fairness webinar hosted by the BC Ombudsperson
o Corporate Report Writing course
o Fundamentals of Corporate Administration
o Local Government Management Association (LGMA) Elections Training
o Privacy Impact Assessment Training
3. Advisory Committees and Commissions
• Provided administrative support to the Local Grants Committee including preparation of the agenda and minutes.
• Completed the coordination, preparation and posting of notices, agendas and minutes of 2 Advisory Planning Commission meetings, 1 APC Design Review Committee meeting, 1 Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting and 2 Environment, Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee meetings.
• Administered the election of Chairs and Vice Chairs for the Advisory Planning Commission, APC Design Review Committee, Environment, Parks, and Recreation Advisory Committee, and Local Grant Committee.
• Developed Chair Procedural Guidelines and Chair Scripts which are updated for each meeting to support Advisory Body Chairs and Vice Chairs with positive feedback.
4. Administrative support for Mayor & Council and CAO
• Prepared 44 letters for Mayor and CAO [retirement/invitations/thank you/congratulations] and other Township related business.
• Coordinated registrations for 7 conferences / forums / seminars for the CAO, Mayor and Council.
• Organized and coordinated pick up or delivery of 15 new resident welcome packages.
• Liaised with various organizations on events and provided RSVPs for the CAO, Mayor and Acting Mayor.
• Hosted the Mayor’s Open Door at the Municipal Hall, with 3 more planned for the year.
5. Records, Information, and Privacy Management
• 9 requests for access to records processed under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
• Implemented Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) training for applicable municipal staff.
• Conducted the 2024 annual records disposition, identifying physical records eligible for destruction.
• Assisted Development Services and Engineering with filing and disposition project.
• Collaborated with Emergency Program Manager to more efficiently align emergency management records with the Township’s RCRS.
• Provided records management training orientation for new staff in all departments.
• Celebrated Records and Information Management (RIM) month in April by Creating and distributing RIM Month Quiz to raise awareness and education.
• Audit and development of records management training for all departments Is ongoing.
6. Archives
• Conducted successful recruitment for municipal Archivist, with new staff onboarded in February 2025.
• The Archives Office continues to welcome the community to the reference room.
• Focused on promoting and sharing the Archives with the community through exhibits:
o A commemorate exhibit highlighting the history of “HMCS Esquimalt” created for the month of April.
o Exhibit featuring photos, maps, and artifacts from “Fort Macaulay” created for the Municipal Hall lobby.
o Poster exhibit for sharing the “Election History of Esquimalt”.
o Poster exhibit for Parks and Recreation sharing the “History and evolution of Esquimalt Buccaneer Days”.
• 4 donations of archival material and 2 book donations accepted from the public.
• 1 municipal record officially transferred (a book).
• 19 accessions completed.
• Created a ground plan of the Archives office, shelves and drawers.
• Prepared a location guide to locate archival materials effectively and efficiently.
• 24 research and image requests received & completed.
• 5 buildings with approved demolition permits photographed and filed.
• 300 photographs scanned and uploaded to media drive.
• 302 Archival records in the Collections Management Database reviewed for thoroughness and accuracy.
• 113 errors identified and corrected in wording, spelling, and/or historical text in entries on Access to Memory (AtoM).
• 161 Descriptions and Photos uploaded to AtoM and made available online.
• 317 volunteer hours contributed to the Archives by assisting with the following:
o Development of Finding Aids.
o Identification of over 500 photos and archival materials.
o Organization of ephemera/reference files.
o Information gathering for research requests submitted to the Archivist.
o Preparation and installation of exhibits in the Municipal Hall lobby.
• Celebrated Heritage Week at the Esquimalt Branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library by hosting activities including “Ask an Archivist”, showcasing our online collection and displaying information.
• Collaborated with the Esquimalt Naval and Maritime Museum displaying their rack cards at the Archives public outreach table for Heritage Week
• Collaborated with the Esquimalt New Seniors Community Centre by conducting two initial planning meetings to organize an Interactive Lecture Series that will start in Fall 2025.
• Submitted ‘Tasting History’ about a collection of recipes at Esquimalt archives and the importance of the recipe sharing tradition for The Current.
• Collaborated with Communications Manager to promote Heritage Week.
2. COMMITTEES
Corporate Services staff are not currently appointed to any Council committees.