Council members in North Cowichan decided to add another job, a RCMP office supervisor/police support services position, to its payroll at its meeting on Dec. 2.
Council will add the position to the municipality’s budget for 2021.
This position was first requested by staff in 2019 and was initially approved by council in 2020, but it was deferred to the 2021 budget considerations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Finance director Mark Frame said the financial implications of the new position will be minimal as an existing three days per week part-time position would be converted into the position, and additional savings will be realized under the RCMP contract which plans to use less reservists starting in 2021.
Frame said the local RCMP detachment includes a blend of municipal and provincial administrative support staff, and that a single provincial office manager supervises the administrative support staff.
“However, with increasing human resource management demands, financial administration requirements and increasing building issues, the sustainability of one resource effectively managing all these areas is no longer viable,” he said.
“The duties of the current provincial office manager are unmanageable for a single resource. The provincial office manager is retiring in December and it is highly unlikely that the new provincial resource will continue to supervise municipal employees.”
Frame also said a single office manager cannot meet the needs of the new performance management system the municipality is seeking to implement.
“With these additional duties, employees’ supervision and the management of their duties would be compromised,” he said.
“Current building needs are taking precedent over human resource issues.”
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
