The Town of Banff is reorganizing its operations division, including the creation of two assistant manager positions and a new position to oversee day-to-day operations of the Fenlands recreation centre.
The cost to the restructure the operations division is just shy of $90,000, but administration says it will offset that by finding savings of about $44,800 in wages and benefits through attrition, such as not filling vacated positions, and increasing revenue generation by $44,800.
Officials say the goal of the reorganization is to help with succession planning given there is an aging workforce, as well as leadership development and generation of additional revenue sources.
“It appears to me this will make the organization stronger in the long-term,” said Mayor Karen Sorensen at a council meeting Monday (March 23).
“I appreciate we’re not ignoring the fact that our demographic in the organization is changing. It’s better to look at it proactively than to be scrambling down the road.”
Specifically, the restructuring will see reclassification of two jobs elevated to assistant operations manager positions, to work between the level of the operations manager and the operations supervisors.
In addition, there would be a separate supervisor solely in charge of the Fenlands. The facilities supervisor currently oversees all operation and maintenance of 34 Town-owned facilities, including Fenlands.
Council directed administration to amend the 2015-2017 budget to restructure the operations division, but also asked there be two updates on newly secured revenues prior to 2016 budget deliberations later this year.
Councillor Ted Christensen, however, voiced concerns.
“I’m finding it difficult with the general optics of spending this much money … what is the urgency to do it now as opposed to the next service review and budget?” he said.
“I look for some assurances that the revenue is there. I find it difficult to move increasing spending of $90,000 without assurances.”
Paul Godfrey, the Town of Banff’s operations manager, said he could not yet publicly say how the operations division anticipates increasing revenues by $44,845 because negotiations are active.
“I won’t speak in detail of that because they’re active right now,” he said. “If it isn’t as planned, we would reconsider.”
Banff’s operations division is currently made up of eight departments, with a staff of about 75 employees year-round. The division has a budget of $13 million, 41 per cent of the Town of Banff’s overall $32 million budget.
Godfrey said job vacancies in the next 10 years due to attrition or retirement is a reality in all organizations, particularly municipalities.
He said first-year baby boomers reached 65 years of age in 2011 and 1.3 million Alberta workers will be 55 by 2025, with an increasing aging workforce during that period.
He said the Town of Banff is consistent with provincial trends – 51 per cent of current employees are 45 years and older and 10 per cent of those – 14 employees – have more than 20 years of service.
“A proactive plan to address departures, particularly those based on eligibility to retire, is required,” he said.
