Council legacy will begin to be defined in 2011, says CAO

By Chris Simon Innisfil Scope January 5 2011
Inspiring Innisfil, dog parks, and growth are top priorities this year
Over the next year, council will begin to define its legacy for the term, says Innisfil’s CAO.
From dog parks and Innisfil Beach Road to the passing of the Inspiring Innisfil 2020 strategic planning initiative, there will be plenty of items that need council’s attention in 2011.
“We went through a very interesting municipal election, probably somewhat divided in terms of the community. Now is the opportunity to heal the community, and bring it together, hopefully through Inspiring Innisfil,” said town CAO John Skorobohacz. “The community is getting its change to put a stamp on what it wants the future to look like. We’re looking at a lot of policies, in terms of how we do business and spend money. A lot of that is underway and will continue to unfold into (2011). There’s a lot of work that has to get done early in 2011, in order to make sure we continue to make positive progress.”
Several other issues will also carry over from 2010. In October, the provincial government released a proposed amendment to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, which recognizes the Innisfil Heights employment zone. However, the proposal also lowers growth projections for the town, and demands 40 per cent intensification for new development — which town staff and consultants have argued will be impossible to meet.
Senior management will also be working towards addressing staffing shortfalls. Council is also expected to decide whether to permanently implement proposed changes to the town’s procedural bylaw, which will attempt to improve public access and participation.
“One of the major issues is changing public access to town hall and council,” said mayor Barb Baguley, noting the municipality is currently attempting to hire a communications officer. “We will move towards things that make information more accessible. Other major projects will unfold as council gets really working in the new year. The priority will be to ensure (IBR) is completed at the earliest possible time.”
The town also plans to improve its working relationship with developers, businesses and residents in 2011. Staff are already preparing engineering standard and customer service plan updates.
“Certainly, improving upon our practices in that area, with regards to winter maintenance, billing and collections, improving the flow of communication and meeting with the industry on a more frequent basis to resolve issues has been a big step forward,” said Skorobohacz. “Gaining their confidence in terms of supporting initiatives (like) investing in updating engineering standards and developing a guidebook are key indicators that we’re making headway. We have a team that’s finalizing a report, establishing some new protocols around customer service, with the intention of ensuring there’s accountability in the process. If we say we’re going to do something in so many days, we are doing it. If we’re not, we’re holding people accountable to that process.”
Baguley says council will also be attempting to increase public involvement in community initiatives like Pitch- In Day, and hosting information sessions for homeowners and business representatives.
“There will be a lot more of those kinds of things. I want to see Pitch-In continue, and involve the community more by having a leadership role at (that) level,” said Baguley. “That’s where I’m trying to go right now. Cutting red tape at town hall was another thing that became clearly evident at election time. Many of the candidates talked about trying to simplify the process. I’ve talked to (town) directors about doing an open house for simple projects that many homeowners tackle themselves, to understand what’s required under the various Acts and regulations. They can understand in advance of their projects what’s required, and only make one trip to town hall.”