Despite coping with a global pandemic, the Town of the Blue Mountains (TBM) CAO says the past six months have been productive and town staff are in a good position to begin charting the town’s major documents.
“We've definitely got a full dance card, but I think we're getting to a point where that dance card can be managed,” said CAO Shawn Everitt.
“We are in a position to execute on what we need to do, whether it be infrastructure, official plans, consideration of density and intensification, or town policies. We'll be in a good position to chart out the course of how everything matches up with our major documents,” he continued.
Everitt presented a CAO’s report to council earlier this week, which reflected the work town staff have accomplished in the past six months.
“Staff has done a great job in the day-to-day operations and making sure that we operate in a normal fashion while doing so safely. They have done a great job under Shawn’s leadership,” said TBM Mayor Alar Soever.
Earlier in the year TBM council set a number of goals for the CAO, which included: improve effectiveness and efficiency of corporate communications; develop a higher profile at county, regional and provincial levels; complete a new corporate strategic plan; improve on conceptual and analytical thinking and task delegation; corporate structure enhancement to deliver improved service at a lower cost or more efficient manner; enhance the council/staff relationship; ensure the health and safety working environment for town staff.
Current status of each of these objectives is outlined in Staff Report FAF.20.150.
“We've been able to continue operations and management of this corporation very well through 2020,” Everitt said. “And we look forward to, believe it or not, starting the process with Mayor Soever on setting the 2021 goals.”
Everitt points to a number of successes in 2020, including seeing strong commitment from town staff, beginning the 2021 budget process and initiating performance management and goal setting among staff.
“We're now going into the second phase of setting those goals and tasks for each director and we have started the process of pushing that program out through the entire organization,” he said.
On top of the goals outlined by council, Everitt adds that the past six months have also included work on the development of logistical options for water lines for irrigation ponds that support the tender fruit industry, initiating the rural access to broadband internet task force and the purchase of 15 and 17 Arthur Street.
“The part of this position I enjoy the most it's working with the community, understanding how we can make change and then leading this community forward,” he added.
