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Restructuring coming to District of Mission

Some departments will be merged and 6.3 positions will be eliminated
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District of Mission hall

The District of Mission is reorganizing to create more capacity, improve customer service and save money.

The restructuring will some departments merge, and other positions eliminated.

The changes will cut 6.3 staff positions, but Mission's Chief Administrative Officer Ken Bjorgaard says four are already vacant.

Positions being eliminated are:

• manager of inspection services (v)

• manager of restorative resolutions

• deputy director of engineering

• manager of environmental services (v)

• fire inspector and part time administrative position in the fire department

• director of finance (v)

*(v): vacant position

 

The Facilities Foreman 3 position is also vacant and will be eliminated.

The Planning Department will dissolve and be replaced with Development Services, which will have a branch for current planning and another for long-term and special projects.

Some environmental services functions and the deputy director of engineering will also be transferred to the new department.

Mike Younie, the manager of Environment Services, will head Development Services. Directly under Younie will be the deputy director of development services, Barclay Pitkethly (formerly the deputy director of planning), and director of long-range planning and special projects Sharon Fletcher (formerly director of planning).

With this change, Fletcher can focus on longer term planning, such as building Mission's waterfront, while allowing land developers to work with one department throughout their project, explained Bjorgaard, noting some engineering, and building licenses functions will be handled by that department too.

The Finance Department will now fall under Corporate Services and the new manager of finance, deputy treasurer/collector, and purchasing/stores manager will all report to the deputy chief administrative officer.

The facilities and building maintenance functions, previously under Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC), will be transferred to Engineering and Public Works, and Social Development, previously under Corporate Administration, will be absorbed by PRC.

As recommended in the core services review, the Restorative Resolutions Program (RRP) will be transferred from the district to the non-profit sector. A request for proposal will be issued to take on RRP, said Bjorgaard, and the addition of a communications officer — suggested by the review — will have to be approved by council.

Council will also need to approve a proposed infrastructure engineer position for buildings and maintenance.

Bjorgaard says the two new positions will be funded from existing budges and expects council will discuss the issue in an upcoming meeting.

Mission has not looked at its organizational structure in a long time, said Bjorgaard, who expects the changes will help staff work together and be more efficient.