PERIOD REPORT
DATE: May 27, 2024 Report No. ADM-24-023
TO: Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Deb Hopkins, Director of Corporate Services
SUBJECT:TITLECorporate Services - 2024 First Period Report
Body
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Corporate Services Department from January 1, 2024 to April 30, 2024.
1. DIVISION ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Corporate Services
• Preparation and publication of:
o 4 Notices of First Reading, 1 Notice of Intent to Issue a Temporary Use Permit, 1 Public Notice Survey, and 1 Committee recruitment newspaper advertisements.
o 24 Meeting Notices and associated newspaper advertisements.
o 20 agendas and minutes for Regular, Special, and In Camera meetings of Council and Committee of the Whole, including posting on website and Municipal Hall notice board.
o 12 late item agenda notices.
o 8 Council meeting Action Reports and completion of all follow up correspondence and distribution to third parties.
• 11 Staff Reports or Memos written and presented to Council/COTW.
• 55 Staff Reports reviewed for agenda approval.
• 8 Public Hearing and Development Permit statutory public notices and newspaper advertisements reviewed.
• 75 resolutions voted on at Special Council, Regular Council and Committee of the Whole meetings providing staff direction (see Attachment 1).
• 7 presentations and delegations coordinated and scheduled to Committee of the Whole.
• 11 documents commissioned by staff for residents of Esquimalt.
• 7 proclamations prepared and posted to the Municipal website and Municipal Hall notice board.
• 933 mail items processed for retention and distribution.
• 14 electronic registrations at Land Title Office.
• Coordinated the flag lowering for International Holocaust Remembrance Day (Jan 28) and National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia (Jan 29), raising of the Franco-Columbian Flag for BC Francophonie Day (Mar 20), flag lowering for Vimy Ridge Day (April 9) and flag lowering for the Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Inured in the Workplace (Apr 28).
• Director of Corporate Services prepared amendments to the Maintenance of Property and Nuisance Regulation Bylaw to change the permitted times for construction activities in the Township and worked with Engineering and Communications staff to conduct additional notification to interested parties and construction community.
• Facilitated the annual review of the Council Code of Conduct.
• Processed, reviewed, and filed Financial Disclosure Statements for all elected officials and municipal officers by the January 15 statutory timeline and Declarations of Related Party Transactions.
• Participated in the municipal website refresh project.
• Completed the 2024 administrative changeover including agenda management software updates.
• Conducted research for Council and staff on previous communications, resolutions, bylaws, policies, and statutory requirements.
• Initiated the annual policy review for all departments to ensure policies remain relevant and up to date.
• Amended the Management Policy M-ADM-09 Council Chambers Booking and Use which was approved by the CAO February 1, 2024.
• Revised the In Camera staff report template to align with the revisions implemented in late 2023 to the open meeting staff reports.
• All Corporate Services staff received de-escalation training from VicPD Community Resource Officers.
• Deputy Corporate Officer completed the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) Essentials of Records and Information Management Certificate.
• Director of Corporate Services and Deputy Corporate Officer participated in corporate leadership training session.
2. Advisory Committees and Commissions
• Completed two recruitment processes for appointments to the APC Design Review Committee.
• Organized and scheduled the Committee Chairs check-in with Council on April 15, 2024.
• 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 3 Advisory Planning Commission meetings, 3 APC Design Review Committee meeting, and 2 Environment, Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee meetings.
• Delivered presentation on respectful meeting conduct to APC and DRC meetings.
• Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee completed two engagement surveys respecting approaches to public input, and one focused on identifying accessibility barriers.
3. Administrative support for Mayor & Council and CAO
• Prepared 51 letters for Mayor and CAO [retirement/invitations/thank you/congratulations] and other Township related business.
• Coordinated registrations for 11 conferences / forums / seminars for the CAO, Mayor and Council.
• Organized and coordinated pick up or delivery of 22 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 4 more planned for the year.
• Assisted with the inaugural Volunteer Recruitment Fair held April 18, 2024.
4. Records, Information, and Privacy Management
• Processed 14 requests for access to records under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act requiring significant departmental resources and cross-departmental coordination.
• Completed the digitization of corporate agreements, contracts, and archived staff reports, and prepared for the off-site storage of physical documents as required.
• Created annual folders for the 2024 corporate files for all departments in TabFusion.
• Prepared the 2022 and 2023 annual, eligible for destruction, physical records disposition reports for all departments.
• Completed the department records transfer to Archives procedure with the assistance of the Archives Manager.
• Completed the Corporate Services and Financial Services departments 2022 and 2023 annual disposition of records eligible for destruction.
• Reviewed and assessed the records management in all departments and identified Parks & Recreation, Public Works, Development Services and Community Safety Services as priority projects.
• Initiated records management training of the Parks & Recreation departments senior and support staff in preparation for a records project documenting all onsite paper and digital records to ensure compliance of legislation.
• Developed procedures, provided guidance, and oversaw the Parks & Recreation records transition project.
• Completed the registration of the Parks and Recreation Department’s physical records backlog for off-siting and destruction processes.
• Initiated the Parks & Recreation electronic records/LAN management project anticipated to be completed in the second period of 2024.
• Reviewed the records management requirements of the Safety Management Program for the Manager of Occupational Health & Safety.
• Investigated electronic records management system options for future use, such as LANs, EDRMS and SharePoint with the Manager of IT.
• Delivered TABFusion system and off-siting of physical records training to multiple departments.
• Developed records management training and reference materials for all municipal departments.
• Prepared and distributed “Transitory Information Guide” and “Email Transitory Record Flow Chart” to all Township staff.
• Completed backlog of filing and off sited applicable departmental records in accordance with the RCRS.
• The Director of Corporate Services, Deputy Corporate Officer, and Record, Information and Privacy Coordinator commenced a robust review of the Records Classification & Retention Schedule (RCRS) to ensure that the schedule aligns with records management best practices and Township needs.
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.
• Focused on promoting and sharing the Archives with the community through exhibits:
o Exhibit installed in the Municipal Hall lobby showcasing historic “Big Snows” in Esquimalt.
o Poster exhibit created for Parks and Recreation sharing the history of “Curling in Esquimalt”.
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 Initiated development of photo exhibit on early transportation in Esquimalt.
• Celebrated Heritage Week with a public outreach table at the Esquimalt Branch of the library February 20 - 21, 2024. Activities included “Ask an Archivist”, Showcasing our Online Collection and Heritage Week trivia and puzzle handout.
• Attended Esquimalt Volunteer Recruitment Fair April 18, 2024, to promote the Archives and shared information with residents.
• Completed an inventory of subject reference files. This community collection includes clippings, documents and photographs on many subjects related to Esquimalt.
• 32 research and image requests received.
• 4 donations of archival material accepted from the public.
• 1 municipal records transfer received.
• 5 buildings with approved demolition permits photographed.
• 338.5 volunteer hours contributed to the Archives this period.
• The Archivist collaborated with the Records, Information and Privacy Coordinator to create a detailed list of all Corporate Records classifications to be transferred to the Archives.
• Archives Trust Fund balance is $4,146.69.
• Collaborated with Communications on social media posts to promote Heritage Week.
2. COMMITTEES
The Director or Corporate Services is a member of:
• Labour Management Committee
• Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee
The Deputy Corporate Officer is a member of:
• ARMA Vancouver Island