Nanaimo city councillors could consider cuts to prison guards, clawing back assistance to the Island Corridor Foundation and the purchase of more automated garbage trucks before the end of this year, according to a proposed implementation plan for core services review recommendations.
This month, the City of Nanaimo released the proposed plan by Western Management Consultants – the same consultants that performed the city’s core services review.
Ninety recommendations are made in the review, completed last May with a $248,000 budget. It suggested cost-saving measures, such as the closure of Beban pool for three months to save approximately $280,000 and the elimination of four prison guards to save roughly $360,000, and that the city consider not renewing assistance to the Island Corridor Foundation after a Regional District of Nanaimo decision to stop financially supporting the organization.
The implementation plan, which has a $15,000 budget, is a strategy and suggested approach to tackle a “large volume of work,” according to City of Nanaimo chief administrative officer Tracy Samra, who adds that it suggests when things should come forward but can be changed if council wants to deal with other issues sooner. Given work load, day-to-day operational things and other policy areas, Samra thinks it’s a good approach.
All 90 recommendations will go to council for a decision, she said. Reports on the recommendations, for example the Departure Bay Activity Centre, will include utilization, impact on users and consultation.
“Likewise with Beban Pool. We’re not going to go, 'close it for three months or don’t',” Samra said. “We’re going to go, 'here’s the feedback we’ve gotten over the last four months from the community, here’s the types of things that occurred at council meetings'.
“Maybe Beban pool can be used for therapeutic. Maybe we can invest more of your capital budget in increasing the service level at that pool and do other things.”
The plan is slated to go to council at its next meeting. To see the plan, please go to goo.gl/6UTzC2.