It’s no secret that Bradford is expected to continue to grow in the coming decades, and to help keep up, the town’s staffing level is also likely to expand and change.
During a Dec. 19 meeting, council approved, in principle, a new organizational structure for staff in 2024. The plan was developed by Blackline Consulting and based on a report from town chief administrative officer Geoff McKnight.
That new structure includes merging some departments to streamline operations, while others will be split up with new leadership roles created in order to better position the town to service population projections of about 60,000 by 2031 and 84,000 by 2051.
Deputy Mayor Raj Sandhu likes the plan.
“To me, this is what’s required of us: looking to the future and setting this organization up for success, not for failure,” he said. “We’re on the right track."
Mayor James Leduc was also supportive.
“This is what you call succession planning,” he said. “Eventually, our structure’s going to have to change.”
According to the report, the community services department will be split into two new departments: infrastructure services and recreation and cultural services, headed by current director of community services Terry Foran.
A new deputy chief administrative officer (CAO) role is also expected to be added to oversee the growth services department (currently development and engineering services), as well as a new infrastructure services department, intended to “ensure strong alignment among the ‘build and maintain’ divisions responsible for the town’s physical development and asset management.”
The economic development department is proposed to be added to growth services, while capital projects is expected to be added infrastructure services.
Corporate communications and the community relations officer are proposed to move to a new strategic initiatives department which is intended to “pursue innovative practices and lead corporate initiatives, special projects, and inter-governmental partnerships,” with initial projects including a centralized customer service for the future town hall.
Staff estimate the three new positions of the deputy CAO, director of infrastructure services and director of strategic initiatives, would cost $713,820 in 2024 to cover salaries and benefits.
That number didn’t sit well with some councillors.
“My main concern is the implication on the tax rate,” Ward 3 Coun. Ben Verkaik said, adding that while he could see advantages, he would have gone a different way. “We have a greater need in middle management — I’ve heard that loud and clear.”
Ward 1 Coun. Cheraldean Duhaney was also apprehensive.
“The figure is heavy on taxpayers. We’re already crying as taxpayers,” she said.
Duhaney says this proposed structure actually deviates from what Blackline recommended in a prior closed session.
“I was very surprised to see this,” she said.
McKnight said council evaluated several different options, and the biggest difference between the Blackline and staff recommendations is the creation of a standalone deputy CAO position, meaning staff’s plan has three new senior leadership positions, whereas a previous version only suggested two.
In order to reduce the cost impact, staff also recommended the director of strategic initiatives and the associated cost of about $237,000 be deferred to 2025, with some of that position’s tasks being assigned to the new deputy CAO on an interim basis.
Ward 6 Coun. Nickolas Harper noted some directors are "almost at breaking point of what they can take on" because they are already in charge of many departments and employees.
All of the councillors present voted in favour of the recommendation with the exception of Verkaik and Duhaney.
Ward 5 Coun. Peter Ferragine was absent.
The extend to which the new structure is implemented will be determined through council’s draft 2024 operating budget deliberations in January.
