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Does the Sault's public works department need a tummy tuck?

Two city councillors want to hire a third-party consultant to find out whether fiscal liposuction is needed.
SaultShake
The cost of the fiscal review would be paid from the public works department's own budget.

Is there belly fat to be trimmed in Sault Ste. Marie's department of public works?

Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Shoemaker and his Ward 5 counterpart Frank Fata think there just might be.

They're proposing we hire an independent consultant to find out.

In a resolution to be introduced at tonight's meeting of City Council, Shoemaker and Fata call for the third-party fiscal review to be conducted in time for any necessary changes to be made to next year's operating budget.

The cost of the review would be paid from the department's existing budget.

They cite the Sault's recently adopted vision statement, which calls on the city "to be the leading innovative, dynamic and efficient municipal corporation in the Province of Ontario."

The two councillors will also introduce a motion calling for a freeze on non-union administrative salaries until January 1, 2018.

The following is the full text of both resolutions.

SooToday will livestream tonight's City Council meeting beginning at 4:30 p.m.

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Public Works third-party review

Mover Councillor M. Shoemaker

Seconder Councillor F. Fata

Whereas Public Works represents a quarter of the City's entire budget; and

Whereas the Council of the City of Sault Ste. Marie must determine how to most effectively deliver services; and

Whereas the Council of the City of Sault Ste. Marie is committed to finding cost savings in the delivery of services in order to maintain a level of service that residents deem appropriate; and

Whereas the recently adopted vision for the Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie is "to be the leading innovative, dynamic and efficient municipal corporation in the Province of Ontario,"

Now therefore be it resolved that the Public Works department be directed to hire an independent consultant to report to council on potential savings in the Public Works department before deliberations for the 2018 budget to ensure that Sault Ste. Marie taxpayer dollars are being maximized by making the city a leader in the delivery of municipal services, with funding to be sourced from the existing Public Works budget.

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Freezing non-union salaries

Mover Councillor M. Shoemaker

Seconder Councillor F. Fata

Whereas the city faces annual increases in staff salary costs; and

Whereas the Council of the City of Sault Ste. Marie is committed to finding cost savings in these difficult economic times; and

Whereas the Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie is anticipating a budget deficit in 2016 and a significant budget shortfall in 2017.

Now therefore be it resolved that staff be requested to prepare an amendment to Bylaw 2000-147 (non-union salary administration bylaw) which would have the effect of freezing annual non-union general economic salary increases until January 1, 2018.

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David Helwig

About the Author: David Helwig

David Helwig's journalism career spans seven decades beginning in the 1960s. His work has been recognized with national and international awards.
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