The city manager says difficult decisions are going to have to be made as the city goes through its core business review.
Tim Commisso told council Monday night that the review won’t be a service by service comparison and analysis of city businesses but services would most likely be impacted.
“Certainly difficult decisions are going to have to be made,” Commisso said.
Council was presented with a first report Monday on its golf operations. Coun. Mark Bentz chaired the meeting, and reminded councillors that the report will be discussed in March so debate and details would be discussed then.
Donna Smith, a consultant who prepared the report, said that at best the city can only hope to recoup 85 per cent of what it spends on the three municipally-owned courses in a year. As of 2010 losses were averaging $650,000. It then detailed options for selling one all or none of the courses.
“Should we be in this business and if we are to what extent should we be in this business?” Commisso asked council.
Mayor Keith Hobbs said the report didn’t discuss the cost of renovating club houses or offer any other business model as a way to attract more members to the courses.
“I think there are deficiencies in this report,” Hobbs said.
Coun. Rebecca Johnson said she wants the core business review, which includes golf, to look at everything from outside boards to staff as a way to save money. Even down to how much time senior management spend at meetings they don’t have to be at, which costs the city money.
“How much time is spent by staff doing their actual jobs?” Johnson asked.
CUPE Local 87 president Marie Dean, who represents golf employees, said her members are fearful that they are going to lose their jobs.
“Those are people that won’t be contributing to the community. Those are people who might have to move out of our community to find work elsewhere,” she said after the meeting Monday night.
Dean said she’s also concerned that the city hasn’t given the union a reasonable amount of time to respond to the report. A request was made to delay the golf report until the end of April but council voted the request down.
“I was very disappointed that they voted against giving an extension,” Dean said. “Considering we’re talking about 56 people’s lives here I think one month is not an unreasonable request.”
The second phase of the core business review include the Conservatory, among other unspecified services. Dean, who also represents employees there, said the Conservatory is not supposed to be a money-maker.
“It was never built to make money. It was built to provide a nice place for the citizens of the city to go to,” she said. “It’s not about sometimes making money it’s about providing service.”
Dean said CUPE is looking for people and groups who use Municipal Golf Course, which is recommended the city sell, to join them in March when the union makes its deputation to council.
