11779 replies to this topic

[RFS]

If Saanich gets combined with the CoV, it would be interesting to see how the demographic changes, but Saanich will be pulled more towards these policies.

 

Obviously the Westshore will remain safe, but what other regions at risk?

 

I would think Esquimalt would join fairly quickly.  Maybe Oak Bay?  

[spanky123]

The City has posted the job requirements / description for the Mayor's new 'head of strategy and operations'. https://pub-victoria...ocumentId=29146

 

Of interest are the requirements to "act as a liaison to City Council members, respond to constituent inquiries".

 

I guess working with council and responding to citizen issues are too much effort for the Mayor of Vancouver Island. Going forward council and the public can deal with her assistant.

Edited by spanky123, 15 January 2019 - 03:23 PM.

[Nparker]

...I guess working with council and responding to citizen issues are too much effort for the Mayor of Vancouver Island. Going forward council and the public can deal with her assistant.

Someone has to send the unsolicited emails that citizens don't want to receive.

[spanky123]

Someone has to send the unsolicited emails that citizens don't want to receive.

 

They already have a boatload of people in "public engagement" to do that.

[Nparker]

They already have a boatload of people in "public engagement" to do that.

I guess my sarcasm font wasn't working.

[rmpeers]

Is it still a 130k gig?
Also who was doing all this work before?
To be fair, maybe it is needed now that a state of environmental emergency has been declared.

[FogPub]

Is it still a 130k gig?
Also who was doing all this work before?
To be fair, maybe it is needed now that a state of environmental emergency has been declared.

Says compensation TBD.

 

As for who was doing this work before, some of it looks like things I'd expect councillors to be doing

[Rob Randall]

Says compensation TBD.

 

As for who was doing this work before, some of it looks like things I'd expect councillors to be doing

 

Ceremonial gigs would be whichever councillor is designated the deputy mayor that month (it rotates). For instance, handing out awards or meeting a delegation. But what I think it really means is when an important meeting is scheduled and the mayor is double booked there is a person that can attend and then brief the mayor afterward. I don't know who normally does those things, maybe a City Hall senior staffer from whatever relevant department the meeting concerns. 

 

But by moving that responsibility to the mayor's personal assistant it becomes political. The person is there as a political strategist more than a neutral logistics person.

[spanky123]

Is it still a 130k gig?
Also who was doing all this work before?
To be fair, maybe it is needed now that a state of environmental emergency has been declared.

 

There is a separate report from the head of HR which I paraphrase to state that it is hard from her to determine an exact salary range as the job requirements and description are thin, but she thinks it is in the $120K - $125K range.

 

Interesting that Helps figures that her backup needs an MBA and 10 years political experience when Helps herself has neither of those. Be interesting to see if she hires someone with those credentials or they are just being used to boost the salary.

[spanky123]

Ceremonial gigs would be whichever councillor is designated the deputy mayor that month (it rotates). For instance, handing out awards or meeting a delegation. But what I think it really means is when an important meeting is scheduled and the mayor is double booked there is a person that can attend and then brief the mayor afterward. I don't know who normally does those things, maybe a City Hall senior staffer from whatever relevant department the meeting concerns. 

 

But by moving that responsibility to the mayor's personal assistant it becomes political. The person is there as a political strategist more than a neutral logistics person.

 

How many Mayors of cities with 80K people have both a head of strategy and a senior executive secretary?

Edited by spanky123, 16 January 2019 - 08:44 AM.

[Nparker]

...Interesting that Helps figures that her backup needs an MBA and 10 years political experience when Helps herself has neither of those...

Perhaps she recognizes what a poor job results from not having those qualifications? 

[rjag]

Perhaps she recognizes what a poor job results from not having those qualifications? 

 

This and the fact that she removed most of the senior non-political management and surrounded herself with sycophants 

[Victoria Watcher]

How many Mayors of cities with 80K people have both a head of strategy and a senior executive secretary?

probably none.

[Rob Randall]

Earlier I equated the position to a Chief of Staff but that entails hiring and firing responsibilities and I don't see that in this new position, anyway that's more the City Manager's job as she oversees City Hall workers.

 

So, yeah...I don't know.

 

If you're a jack-of-all-trades political mucky-muck this is a good gig.

[Nparker]

...If you're a jack-of-all-trades political mucky-muck this is a good gig.

I'd be very surprised if Her Worseship doesn't already have someone in mind for this position and an open competition is just for show.

[Victoria Watcher]

i would think that’s probably a given. but still the way it should be done.

maybe it’ll be gene miller.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 January 2019 - 09:17 AM.

[rmpeers]

How many Mayors of cities with 80K people have both a head of strategy and a senior executive secretary?

But i am pretty sure she has now designated herself mayor of the entire region.

[rmpeers]

Maybe she will hire Frank "Best Thing" Elsner.

[Nparker]

But i am pretty sure she has now designated herself mayor of the entire region.

Wasn't she recently quoted as calling herself "the mayor of the CRD" - or something to that effect?

[Victoria Watcher]

Wasn't she recently quoted as calling herself "the mayor of the CRD" - or something to that effect?

 

yes on this topic too i think.  

 

i also said if all we did was flip the names of saanich and victoria that municipality and council would get all the attention.