MEMORANDUM
DATE: December 9, 2024 Report No. ADM-24-081
TO: Committee of the Whole
FROM: Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: 2022-2026 Council Priorities Mid-Term Refresh
End
INFORMATION:
A summary of the Council Priorities Process to date can be found in staff report ADM-24-062 presented on September 23, 2024 (see Attachment 1).
The Council Priorities Plan for 2023-2026 (included as Attachment 2) contains the full list of projects and initiatives that Council has selected to address their strategic areas of focus. The plan has been updated to reflect the latest status of each project or initiative.
In response to direction received from Council in September, staff have prepared Initiative Impact Assessments (Attachments 3-9) with respect to the following potential projects:
• Affordable Housing
• Deer Fencing
• Esquimalt Together Against Graffiti
• Ground-Oriented Small Developments
• Improved Budget Documentation
• Official Community Plan - Major Review
• Parkland Placement, Acquisition and Management
Staff have prepared a presentation (Attachment 10) that will support the Council discussion on the Council Priorities Plan and the related impact assessments.
Staff have considered the proposed initiatives and have some recommendations about how they could be done while still delivering on the existing commitments in the Council Priorities Plan. Should Council want any of the new initiatives to be accelerated in schedule or expanded in scope, further discussion about impacts to current commitments will be necessary.
The Improved Budget Documentation initiative does not require additional funding or resources and could be approved immediately for incorporation into the Council Priorities Plan via the following resolution:
“That the Committee recommend to Council that the Improved Budget Documentation project, with the scope, schedule and cost outlined in the Initiative Impact Assessment presented on December 9, 2024, be incorporated into the Council Priorities Plan under Good Governance and Organizational Excellence.”
The Deer Fencing initiative is achievable but is assessed to be low priority measured against current commitments and the new proposed initiatives. Given the schedule risks in the Council Priorities Plan due to capacity issues across the staff team, it is recommended that the Deer Fencing initiative be deferred and placed back on the Future Projects list. This could be achieved via the following resolution:
“That the Committee recommend to Council that the Deer Fencing initiative remain on the Future Projects list for consideration by Council at a future date.”
The remaining initiatives require additional resources or funding. Staff recommend that Council endorse the projects for incorporation into the Council Priorities Plan, but that each project be given “proposed/not yet funded” status until funding is discussed in the upcoming budget process. This could be achieved via the following resolution:
“That the Committee recommend to Council that [initiative or list of initiatives], with scope, schedule and cost outlined in the Initiative Impact Assessments presented on December 9, 2024, be incorporated into the Council Priorities Plan, and that the status of each project be set to ‘proposed/not yet funded’ until Council completes the 2025 budget process.”
Attachment 1 - CAO Report ADM-24-062 Mid-Term Refresh, September 23, 2024
Attachment 2 - Council Priorities Plan effective Dec 2024 - Draft for Council Review
Attachment 3 - Affordable Housing
Attachment 4 - Deer Fencing
Attachment 5 - Esquimalt Together Against Graffiti
Attachment 6 - Ground Oriented Small Developments
Attachment 7 - Improved Budget Documentation
Attachment 8 - Official Community Plan - Major Review
Attachment 9 - Parkland Placement, Acquisition and Management
Attachment 10 - Staff Presentation, Council Priorities Plan