Council has updated the way the city makes sure it's meeting the community's needs and expectations.
A motion approving the changes passed unanimously at the Jan. 23 meeting.
The new program and service review policy replaces the old continuous improvement review policy, but has much the same intent – to have a framework for ongoing review of programs, services and services levels.
Existing service levels are outlined in the "Services and Service Levels Inventory" document, and includes very specific details on what services are offered in city departments.
Under the new policy, council is expected to review services and service levels annually and provide appropriate resources, while the city manager is tasked with overseeing the process to continuously improve service delivery, and ensuring a three-year work plan is in place.
Capital projects and operating business cases that council members submit will now go through the same prioritization method as the ones administration brings forward.
Council unanimously approved amendments to the budget guiding principles policy without debate.
In the past, projects brought forward by council have been automatically funded in budgeting considerations. With the change, available money will be assigned to projects based on criteria of whether it's in the best interest of the city and how the project fits in with the city's long-term plans.
Essentially this means the debate at budget time will be about whether to fund the project, rather than whether to defund the project.
The new policy came forward as a result of a motion Dec. 12, 2016 calling for the change.
"If a council member has a project they want to do, they should go through the same process," Coun. Cathy Heron said at that time.
The city is facing a projected capital-funding shortfall of $310 million over the next decade.
The city will spend roughly $3,500 to have a formal appraisal done of the land it owns in the Employment Lands area, located west of Ray Gibbon Drive between Giroux Road and McKenney Avenue.
Before the land is appraised, though, administration will provide recommendations about the amount of land needed for the city's future needs in the area, and the appraisal will only address the remainder.
Coun. Sheena Hughes brought the motion forward, and council unanimously approved it.
Council unanimously approved without debate a sole-source contract to replace the elevator in the St. Albert Public Library.
The city will pay roughly $120,000 to Edmonton Elevator Ltd. to replace the 35-year-old elevator.
An administrative report notes the typical life expectancy of this kind of elevator is just 25 years, and there are some concerns not just about the state of the elevator itself but also about the availability of replacement parts for a unit this old.
The same company replaced the two main elevators in St. Albert Place following a bidding process in 2015, on budget and on schedule. City policy allows for sole-source contracts when there's a need to maintain compatibility with existing equipment.
