CITY COUNCIL
Total expenditures: $830,100 (corporate memberships, committee expenses, staff recognition, grants and contributions)
Total revenues: nil
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
Total expenditures: $397,300 (96% labour)
Total revenues: nil
Overseeing an organization of about 1,700 full- and part-time staff, city manager Peter Steblin also splits the job of corporate services GM with deputy city manager John DuMont. His priorities for this year are to ensure Coquitlam's voice is heard at the provincial and regional tables, especially for the Port Mann bridge/Highway 1 and Evergreen Line projects.
DEPUTY CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
Total expenditures: $3.5 million (80% labour)
Total revenues: $201,900
Directly responsible for about 350 full-time staff - the largest department in the city - John DuMont oversees nine areas, each of which has its own budget. On the human resources side, DuMont said his office is handling 11 grievances from last year, a number he considers "low" for an organization as large as Coquitlam's. This year, DuMont will oversee, among other things, the start of the bargaining with CUPE, the continuation for the fire contract negotiations and the implementation of a new payroll system and a business retention expansion program. For new requests, he's asking council to fund $82,025 for a human resources assistant and to start a multicultural strategic plan.
CORPORATE SERVICES
Total expenditures: $11.9 million (72% labour)
Total revenues: $116 million
Comprised of the city clerk's office, financial services, IT, legal/bylaw and communications, this department last year managed tax and utility billings for more than 40,000 properties and processed more than 7,500 payments for city operations. Dumont listed the QNet partnership with School District 43, the installation of free WiFi in city facilities, the municipal election, the update of the animal control bylaw and the resolution of the Percy Perry Stadium lawsuit as successes for 2011. This year, the department will oversee a new civic website, a bigger push for the municipal brand (for marketing purposes) and e-bills for taxpayers as well as the implementation of self-insurance (versus policies through the Municipal Insurance Association). The department is asking council for $806,169 in new requests, including $500,000 for staff vacancy management.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
Total expenditures: $973,200 (85% labour)
Total revenues: $240,200
Led by Maurice Gravelle, this department is in charge of facilities, city properties, and the Evergreen Line. Gravelle said last year was largely taken up with the Gateway and King Edward Overpass projects (the latter of which included a 12-week closure on King Edward Street), and preparation work for the rapid transit line to City Centre. As well, preliminary planning was done on the new City Centre library branch and Burke Mountain fire hall. As for this year, Gravelle said Gateway and Evergreen will continue to dominate his department - with a possible announcement this year on whether the city will see a station at Lincoln Avenue - while the conceptual plans for the $10-million Place Maillardville renovations will be finalized.
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
Total expenditures: $5.8 million (97% labour)
Total revenues; $4.2 million
Planning and development GM Jim McIntyre said growth was at an all-time high last year, keeping his community planning, development services and building permits divisions busy. McIntyre also checked off the completion of the Austin Heights Neighbourhood Plan, a new homeless shelter and a "housing choices" strategy as successes for last year. As for the new year, McIntyre said he wants his department to finish the Partington and Maillardville neighbourhood plans, launch the Burquitlam and Hazel Drive neighbourhood plans, and start the regional context statement, as required by Metro Vancouver. He is asking council for $50,000 this year to hire a graphic technician consultant.
ENGINEERING & PUBLIC WORKS
Total expenditures: $12.9 million (66% labour)
Total revenues: $2.5 million
Bill Susak leads this department of 167 full-time staff, which over the past 18 months, has overseen the installation of more than $100 million in new infrastructure in the city. Citing 2011 highlights, Susak noted the completion of the Partington Creek integrated watershed management plan; "stimulus" funding projects (i.e., Barnet/Lougheed); the King Edward Overpass; construction of roads and pipes on Burke Mountain; and energy management advances. But this year brings a long list of challenges, he said, citing a new garbage/recycling pick-up contract; a review of parking operations in City Centre; and more Burke building, to name a few. Susak is asking council to fund $116,125 in new requests this year, including $50,000 for a public education campaign on the pesticide use bylaw, which has yet to be drafted.
PARKS, REC & CULTURE
Total expenditures: $27.7 million (69% labour)
Total revenues: $8.5 million
Led by Lori MacKay, PRC is the second largest department in the city, with 283 full-time staff members who, last year, planted 6,800 trees and 3,200 shrubs, and saw the unveiling of public art and 145 outdoor events. This year, the department's priorities include expanding after-school programming and youth centre services, launching or completing a number of studies (i.e., tennis courts feasibility, sports field strategy) and starting Phase 1 of the Glen Park redevelopment. MacKay is asking council to find $175,663 in new capital funding for park/streetscape maintenance, beautification projects, Poirier complex stairway maintenance and a seasonal light display; plus, nearly $577,000 for service enhancements, including $23,000 for Canada Day celebrations and $72,000 to bid on the 2016 BC Summer Games.
RCMP
Total expenditures: $29.5 million (71% labour)
Total revenues: $5.7 million
Headed by Supt. Claude Wilcott, the detachment is made up of 212 Mounties - 146 for Coquitlam, 63 for Port Coquitlam and three provincial officers - plus 20 integrated services members and 96 municipal support staff. Last year's achievements included a reduction in crime over 2010 levels, an increase in web traffic (www.coquitlam.rcmp.ca), an award for the traffic section and training multilingual victim service volunteers. In April, Wilcott said, Coquitlam RCMP will start its new strategic plan. He is asking council for $868,051 in new funding for six more police officers and a victim support worker. As well, Coquitlam is required to pay $982,000 for the integrated homicide investigational team, which serves RCMP jurisdictions in Metro Vancouver.
FIRE
Total expenditures: $19.6 million (86% labour)
Total revenues: $266,400
Marking its 100th year in 2012, Coquitlam Fire/Rescue is led by Chief Tony Delmonico and is made up of 164 full-time staff in the administration, communications, fire prevention, operations and training/education offices. Firefighters received 35,000 hours of training last year - among the most in the province, Delmonico said - in areas including swiftwater, high-angle and structural collapses. This year's department challenges include the construction of the Evergreen Line tunnel in Burquitlam; resolving the collective bargaining; personnel turnover (30% of the department has retired over the past three years); technology improvements; and staffing the auxiliary station on Coast Meridian Road to prepare for a new fire hall on Burke. Delmonico is asking council to fund eight new firefighter positions as part of a three-year staffing program (eight more next year and four in 2014), costing $809,392. As well, he wants $25,000 for heating and utilities for the CMR fire station, and $25,282 for a clerk.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
Where $243 million went last year::
Capital expenditures: 20%
Parks, recreation and cultural: 14%
Police: 12%
Fire: 8%
Water: 8%
Sewer and drainage: 8%
Transfer to reserves: 7%
General government: 6%
Transportation: 5%
Debt interest payments: 5%
Solid waste: 4%
Planning and development: 2%
Other: 1%
Where $243 million came from last year:
Taxation: 52%
Fees, rates and service charges: 20%
Transfer from reserves: 10%
Proceeds from borrowing: 7%
Casino revenues: 4%
Grants: 4%
Other: 2%
Investment income: 1%
Last year's service costs for a Coquitlam owner of a $539,000 home:
Sewer and drainage: $394
Police: $388
Water: $384
Garbage and recycling: $326
Fire: $310
Capital and debt repayment: $264
Recreational facilities and programs: $197
Parks and trails: $113
Road maintenance: $112
Cultural services and community grants: $103
Planning and development: $42
Traffic control: $41
Snow and ice control: $25
Total taxes and utilities: $2,699
