With just over six weeks under his belt, the city’s new chief administrative officer Darrell Garceau is making some changes.
At Tuesday’s council meeting he gave a report to council and told members he plans to submit reports on a monthly basis.
There are a number of ongoing capital projects, the most visible being South Lakeside, he said.
“Work is ongoing and effective this week a lot of the sub-excavation work will take place and that’s when it will get nasty because that’s when we obliterate the road.”
That part of the project will take about four weeks, and the project will be ongoing, beginning at the west end and moving east.
“Unfortunately the people of Williams Lake will have to endure this for a couple more months.”
Last week the city introduced its new budget process, which will include a round-table discussion hosted by the city at the Gibraltar Room on Sept. 12.
Pamphlets have been made and distributed regarding the meeting and Garceau explained the intent of the meeting is to launch and embark on a “very public process” relative to budgets.
“We want members of the public to attend and give feedback to city council on its directives for the 2014 budget and ultimately as we go forward.”
The intent of the meeting is not to provide council with a lot of information about the budget, but that does not mean the city has done all the work on behalf of the community, he added.
If there’s enough interest there could be subsequent meetings, although the hope is that by the Oct. 16 staff can present the budget in full detail to council.
“We will go to extraordinary lengths to advertise the process so that we can fill council chambers with the public so we can have participation,” he said.
Under the RCMP building and policing agreement, Garceau said the city will be reviewing ownership of the building because the city is one of four municipalities that does not own the policing building.
“We have to be in a position to make a decision by January 2014.”
In 2014, due to Bill C-42, the city will also need to consider the option that guard and matron position at the RCMP detachment may have to be within the city employee group.
“That is something that will be coming to the attention of city council,” he said.
Coun. Surinderpal Rathor said he appreciated the report.
“The community will be more than happy to see a report like this because it’s an excellent way of letting the community know what staff is doing,” he said.