Scott Stanfield

Record staff

In a 5-2 vote Monday, Courtenay council approved 12 new city staff positions that will be a $1 million-plus expense by next year.

The rationale for the staffing bump concerns a 43 per cent growth in Courtenay鈥檚 population from 2001-2016. Staff growth during the same period was 27 per cent.

The discrepancy impedes the aim of sustainable service delivery 鈥� identified as a council priority.

鈥淭his is no surprise to me,鈥� said Coun. David Frisch, who feels City Hall is under-staffed. 鈥淚 recognize our staff work really hard here.鈥�

Couns. Doug Hillian, Erik Eriksson, Bob Wells and Rebecca Lennox also approved the additional positions. Mayor Larry Jangula and Coun. Manno Theos were opposed.

The 12 positions include four in the legislative/corporate services department, three each in financial services and development services, and one each in public works and recreation/cultural services. Salaries (including benefits) range from $69,000 to $110,976.

City CAO David Allen said a significant increase in development applications has added huge pressure to the development services department at City Hall. Among other things, the Courtenay Official Community Plan is at least a decade out of date.

鈥淎t the end of the day, something鈥檚 going to give,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淭his is not about empire building, this is about keeping up the level of service and the growth of the community.鈥�

鈥淎 million dollars to a budget of a city of our size is absolutely significant,鈥� Theos said. 鈥淲hen that time comes again when there鈥檚 another moment (of staff negotiation), a two per cent or three per cent hit at that time becomes more significant.鈥�

Generally, Theos feels the public wants smaller government.

鈥淭his is, in my opinion, a move towards much bigger government. Twelve positions on top of other positions we鈥檝e moved forward on is a massive restructuring鈥� In terms of how these are going to extend the life of our assets, I need an explanation.鈥�

Theos feels the 2001 numbers were an anomaly because the City had annexed the Sandwick area. Since the 2006 and 2011 censuses, he says Courtenay has grown about five per cent in five years.

鈥淚f we鈥檙e basing our numbers on an anomaly, we have to be very, very careful,鈥� Theos said.

Jangula is also troubled by the increase.

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at about $2.2 million a year,鈥� he said, noting staffing costs have gone from $9.5 million in 2013 to $14.2 million in 2016.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 about a 50 per cent increase. That鈥檚 just not sustainable. We can鈥檛 sell that to the public. This is a huge increase to the taxpayer.鈥�

Hillian feels the staffing request is 鈥渞easonable,鈥� considering taxpayers face a modest increase this year.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 see it as a situation where the sky is falling, but if that is in fact the case, then they (public) have an opportunity in approximately 18 months to do something about it,鈥� Hillian said.

鈥淐ourtenay is definitely having some growing pains,鈥� Lennox added. 鈥淚f our staff is saying, 鈥榃e don鈥檛 have the capacity,鈥� I鈥檓 going to believe the staff and believe the people who wrote this report.鈥�