PERIOD REPORT
DATE: January 5, 2017 Report No. ADM-17-002
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Anja Nurvo, Director of Corporate Services
SUBJECT:TITLE Corporate Services Department - 2016 Third Period ReportBody
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Corporate Services Department from September 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.
I. DIVISION ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Corporate Services
• Continued with regular monthly Mayor’s Message and historical articles from Municipal Archivist in Victoria News, which will continue into 2017; staff are exploring opportunities with Victoria News for enhanced coverage of Esquimalt events and initiatives
• Staff completed the following:
o 38 notices, agendas, minutes, late items and action reports, follow up and correspondence for Regular, Special and In Camera meetings of Council and Committee of the Whole (YTD 125)
o Editing and posting finalized archived meeting videos on website
o 39 newspaper notifications of meetings and advertisements (YTD 105)
o 7 Proclamations prepared and posted, including to website (YTD 24)
o Conducted research and prepared 7 staff reports for consideration by Council on various topics (YTD 29)
• Making all arrangements for presentation of 6 Spirit Awards (YTD 9)
• Corporate Officer and Deputy Corporate Officer attended to 26 requests for commissioning of documents, mostly for foreign pensions (YTD 71)
• Corporate Officer responded to 6 requests for access to records under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (YTD 35); one outstanding appeal to Privacy Commissioner’s Office and one complaint under investigation by Office of the Ombudsperson
• Corporate Officer and Deputy Corporate Officer completed 3 electronic registrations and Land Title Office (YTD 33)
• Continued with implementation of records management system including review of Fire Department and HR records and updating database
• Completed scanning of all Bylaws to eliminate duplicate paper copies
• Scheduling and coordinating Mayor and Council attendance at various meetings, events, and conferences; ongoing coordination and scheduling of Mayor and Acting Mayor and CRD Board Chair meetings
• Deputy Corporate Officer continued with courses towards Diploma in Public Administration, and received grants to assist with tuition and expenses
• Staff attended an in-house one day workshop on Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
• Director of Corporate Services was re-elected for a 2 year term as Secretary to the Vancouver Island Standing Chapter Committee of the Local Government Management Association; assisted organizing and coordinating Annual Conference and attended Conference held in Campbell River November 16-18
• Staff made all arrangements for Long Term Recognition Awards presentation and coordinated Base/Township luncheon
2. Communications
Communications Activities
• Phase 2 of website upgrade - optimize site structure for ease of use
• Communications support to Township departments on program announcements and initiatives (Fire Department Open House, Esquimalt Town Square Public Meeting, Esquimalt Road Urban Design Guidelines web content)
• Continued with program of news releases and media advisories, posting 34 news releases to the website and issuing 5 releases using regional news media contact list. Topics of news releases included:
o Esquimalt Archives Captures More Historic Images for Online Viewing
o Newcomer Welcoming Event
o Township Recognized for Action on Climate Change
o Shakeout 2016
o Deer Survey
• Worked with departments on revising and adding web content to website; troubleshoot any issues
• Daily updating of website home page with news and events features
• Daily media monitoring using Google Alerts, media outlet websites and social media; forwarding information to staff where appropriate. Posting of pdf news clippings and links to internal website for staff information. A total of 84 news items were posted to the internal website during the period.
• Daily updating on internal website The Bridge, posting content of interest to staff, including announcements, staff moves, news items, videos, safety information, photos and photo galleries
• On behalf of the Township, liaising with advertising representatives from print, broadcast and electronic media on major advertising opportunities.
• Advertising:
o Coordinated “Experience Esquimalt” materials for Times Colonist with a focus on December events in the Township (November 2016)
o Coordinated Remembrance Day and Holiday ads in local newspapers through November and December
• Assisted with promotion of community events and media photo opportunities, posting some 21 event announcements to the website. This included:
o Esquimalt RibFest
o Sculpture Splash
o Township Classics at the English Inn
o ETS Information Meeting
o Fire Department Open House
o Open House on Hither Green Park
o Welcoming Event for New Residents
• Writing assignments included speeches and speaking notes, event notices, news items, newsletter, advertising and web content
• Editing, writing and design of November 2016 “Current” Newsletter. Stories included:
o Feature on Esquimalt Adventure Park
o Esquimalt Road Urban Design Guidelines
o Age-Friendly Assessment
o Feature Developments in the Township
o OCP Update
o Community Calendar
Communications Analytics
• Website Google Analytics
o 209,959 page views (234,496 second period)
o Most page views: 1) Parks and Recreation Drop-in Schedules (9.32%), 2) Home Page (7.71%)
• Daily monitoring of social media sites and posting of information. (second period in brackets):
o 63 (61) tweets and retweets posted to Twitter
o 142 (160) new followers added during the period
o 75 (68) timeline posts to Facebook during period
o 56 (91) new Facebook likes during the period
• Legistar Analytics (second period in brackets)
o 585 (347) total page views - all pages in the Granicus system
o 446 (166) total visits - total number of times visitors came to the site
o 401 (167) total unique visitors - individual views of site
o 76% desktop, 24% mobile
3. Archives
• In mid-December completed “Capturing our History: Phase II: Esquimalt Archives Image Digitization Project”, with up-loading of additional 1,600 images added to existing on-line collection bringing total number of images to 3,600. Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, our funding partner, was informed and there has been some up-take in the media, on social media and the public at large.
• Staff from several departments worked on preparation and submission of grant application from Canada 150 Fund; we await word on the outcome.
• Municipal Archivist resumed writing monthly historical article for Victoria News. Four were produced during this period. Topics covered were the visit of famous ocean liner Queen Elizabeth during WWII, corner stores in Esquimalt, Esquimalt Lions Club’s 65th anniversary, and Christmas traditions in the Township. The articles have received positive feedback from the public and from the editor of Vic News. The monthly articles will continue into 2017.
• Preliminary plans are being developed for event to be held in early April 2017 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at Bay Street Armoury. Esquimalt Archives is planning a display linking local soldiers to that battle.
• Archives received a number of new acquisitions over this period, including:
o A framed sketch of Gorge Bridge circa 1900
o Records pertaining to history of Esquimalt Masters Curling Club
o Stu Walker donated a WWII vintage food ration book
o Ron Hyde, formerly of the LCB, donated a series of photographs depicting former government liquor stores located in Esquimalt
• There were 59 logged requests for information/assistance/support during this period, of which 27 were walk-ins. While some requests were straightforward and answered relatively quickly, others required more effort to resolve, and several requests were received from overseas. Research included:
o BBC Radio 4 regarding an individual who disappeared in England in 1954 and who may have worked at Admiralty Research Department at Yarrows in Esquimalt. Unfortunately our records yielded nothing nor did related material held by CFB Esquimalt Naval Museum.
o District of Saanich was provided with information pertaining to history and installation of Township of Esquimalt’s time capsule in 2001. Saanich is considering a time capsule as part of their Canada 150 celebration.
o A firefighter with the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service in Liverpool, UK, for an up-coming exhibit regarding various Admiralty Dockyard Fire Services throughout former Royal Navy dockyards.
o A variety of historical information and images was provided to St. Paul’s Anglican Church 150th Anniversary Planning Group.
o History of the Songhees and Victoria Harbour in conjunction with a public interpretive centre in the proposed Roundhouse Project.
• Municipal Archivist met with staff from Greater Victoria Public Library to commence discussions on partnership opportunities in developing some public programs telling local history stories.
• Research on houses, apartments and commercial buildings in Esquimalt continues to be popular with 12 requests being made.
• Photographs were taken of 10 houses prior to issuance of demolition permits.
• Miscellaneous research projects included:
o Researching and making suggestions for nominations for Stop of Interest Signs to be placed throughout Esquimalt
o Compiling brief histories of 12 Esquimalt Parks for Parks and Recreation staff
o Tracking down the history of two WWI soldiers for Parks and Recreation staff, for a project to introduce Army Cadets to stories of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed in action during WWI
• Our team of six volunteers contributed a total of 561 hours, including:
o Completing finding aids for Esquimalt Arts and Crafts Society, Esquimalt Silver Threads Society and Dunahee Collection
o Preparing finding aid for another portion of Yarrows Collection and for Esquimalt Masters Curling Club
o Culling and organizing huge donation of old Esquimalt newspapers donated in Fall 2016
o A total of 53 walking tour packages were handed out directly to the general public
• Volunteer Archivist Sherri Robinson received an Esquimalt Volunteer Spirit Award from Mayor and Council for her outstanding contribution to the preservation and recognition of the Township’s history and her thousands of volunteer hours with the Archives.
• In December we received some truly sad news with the passing of long-time and well respected volunteer Kay Stidston. She volunteered in the Archives for 21 years undertaking various tasks and her energy, supportive nature and good humour will be genuinely missed.
4. Human Resources
Recruitment (Regular Positions)
Completed:
Public Works:
• Public Works Manager
Finance:
• Finance Clerk III - Accounting
Parks and Rec:
• Parks Light Equipment Operator/Labourer
In Progress:
• Bylaw Management Officer
• Firefighter (joint recruitment process with Oak Bay)
• Information Technology Support Analyst
• Technical Supervisor
Labour Relations
• Bargaining Preparation for CUPE and for IAFF
• Discipline: one termination, one 3-day suspension and one 1-day suspension (one grievance outstanding on the 1-day suspension)
Job Evaluation
• Developed and recommended new job evaluation process for CUPE positions. Approved by Management and Union. Implemented November, 2016.
Staff Training
• December 15 - WorkSafeBC Occupational First Aid Level 1 training (17 employees)
• WHMIS Training - “WHMIS 2015 Awareness” ½ day training (17 Parks and Public Works employees)
General
• Organized Flu Clinic (36 participants)
• Organized Employee Long Term Service Recognition Event December 12 (7 employees recognized)
II. COMMITTEES
• Staff made all arrangements for scheduling of three Environmental Advisory Committee meetings and two Labour Management Committee meetings, including preparation of notices, agendas and minutes
• Staff attended as alternate members of the Municipal Hall Safety Committee
• Annual committee member orientation was held September 13.