REQUEST FOR DIRECTION
DATE: October 13, 2021 Report No. EPW-21-023
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Jeff Miller, Director of Engineering and Public Works
SUBJECT:
Title
Banner Program
End
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
Should the Township maintain a four-season banner program?
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the COTW receive Staff Report No. EPW-21-023 for information, provide any additional direction to staff as the COTW considers advisable, and direct staff to prepare a budget request for Council’s consideration.
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BACKGROUND:
The Township has been installing banner holders on light standards along roads and parking lots. There are two banner holders on each of the light standards located within roadways. Banners that are on display are:
• Four seasons (winter, spring, summer, fall) in rotation
• Communities in Bloom (hung in conjunction with four seasons)
• Buccaneer Days (hung in conjunction with four seasons)
• Remembrance (hung in conjunction with four seasons)
Banner holders are located at the following locations:
• Esquimalt Road - 36
• Admirals Road - 10
• Craigflower Road - 20
• Recreation/Archie Browning parking lots - 20
o Total holders - 86
The changeover of banners requires two public works staff, a fleet bucket truck and contracted traffic control. Due to some of the locations of the banner holders within the road right of way, Public Works must carry out traffic control to hang and take down banners. This activity impacts traffic movements due the necessity of a lane closure but is transitory in nature. Cost varies from approximately $5,000 (each change) for changing the four-season banners to approximately $3,000 for the special occasion banners. These costs are for obtaining traffic control services for the changeover of banners.
ISSUES:
The largest inventory of banners is the four-season banners. These banners are approximately 9 to 10 years old. Due to their exposure to the elements these banners are coming to the end of their life span and will need to be replaced in the next two years. Due to this upcoming asset renewal, staff is requesting direction on the nature of the banner program and if it requires modification.
There are three options to review. They are:
1. No Banners
2. Status Quo
3. Two Season Banners
Option 1 - No Banners
Under this option, the four-season banner program would be discontinued. All the banner holders would remain on the street light standards, yet would be unused for the better part of the year. The other banner events would be maintained. This option would not see reinvestment in this asset. This results in saving approximately $55,000 every 10 years. Staff and equipment costs would be reallocated to other activities. Approximately $20,000 a year would be saved in operational expenditures as traffic control would not be required.
Option 2 - Status Quo
For this option, the four-banner program would remain in its current form. The costs associated with the program would remain within the capital ($55,000 every 10 years) and operational ($20,000 a year in traffic control costs) budgets. Staff and equipment costs would be maintained in the operating budget.
Option 3 - Two Season Banners
Under this option, the seasonal banner program would be modified from a four-season banner scenario to a two-season banner scenario. The two seasons would be fall/winter and spring/summer. The images on the banners would be more generic to reflect this combination of seasons.
This change does not significantly impact the budget for the replacement of the banners. The 86 banners would be hanging for six months of the year as opposed to three months. This will result in a decrease in the life expectancy of the banners. It is anticipated that the life of a banner would be reduced from 10 years to 6/7 years. The replacement cost of $55,000 remains the same, but is now occurring on a reduced life span of 6/7 years. Approximately $10,000 per year in operational costs would be saved as traffic control requirements would be reduced by half. The reduced usage of staff and equipment costs would be reallocated to other activities.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That the COTW receive Staff Report No. EPW-21-023 for information, provide any additional direction to staff as the COTW considers advisable, and direct staff to prepare a budget request for Council’s consideration.
2. That the COTW provide alternative direction to staff.
3. That the COTW request further information from staff.