YORKTON - Yorkton Council reviewed its priorities for the first time in 2023 Monday at a Committee-of-the-Whole meeting.
It was in November, 2020 the city committed to reviewing our Council priority chart on a quarterly basis. These priorities are in addition to the work required on an annual basis. This gives Council the opportunity to provide further direction to Administration on the objectives that are deemed a priority.
The process undertaken Monday included a quick look back at 2022, and then making recommendations to update priorities for the first quarter of 2023.
The two items being recommended to be added to the top-five priorities of council are;
*Explore External Operations Audit: Phase II (Determine what areas to look into – Human Resources (productivity in certain departments), Service Delivery (which functions or Advocacy / Partnerships departments), Best Practices (what specific areas);
*Work with consultant on operations review.
With the operations review Council recommended it be available by June.
The same time frame was also attached to the priority on Business Marketing: Yorkton Advantage Gaps & Targets.
Council also recommended it broaden the scope of meetings with the city’s neighbouring rural municipalities of Orkney and Wallace.
While a retained priority states to meet regarding rural roads, it was expanded to have Mayor Mitch Hippsley arrange meetings – as often as quarterly to discuss a range of shared issues including possible hospital funding.
“It’s almost like a relationship building thing,” offered Councillor Dustin Brears.
The Recreational Master Plan was also discussed.
City manager Lonnie Kaal said the report should be available in the next quarter, and it remains a key staff operational priority.
Hippsley said council does need to be ready to act once they have the report in-hand.
“The sooner we do something with it the more value we get out of it,” he said. “Once we get the information, pardon the pun, we need to be prepared to pull the trigger.”
The recommendations made Monday will be back before the regular meeting of Yorkton Council March 6, for approval.
