by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — A Whitewater Region councillor is upset the chief administrative officer did not follow policy regarding expenditures over $10,000.
The township policy is management can approve expenditures up to $10,000 without council approval. CAO Christine FitzSimons put in the proposed 2016 budget an expenditure of $13,000 for upgrades to the website. But, before the expenditure could be approved, she had given approval for the project to begin.
In a report to council from CAO FitzSimons, she was recommending council approve the requested $13,000 line item for the website. She noted the website is not yet in compliance with the required accessibility standards and the web services provider has been working on this issue, as well as building data files to make the municipality’s website more responsive.
Since there is no in-house Information Technology specialist, she relies on the web services provider for standard and routine updates and maintenance.
CAO FitzSimons said she was following the council policy of spending up to $20,000.
Coun. Jackson had concerns regarding the report, such as when the website was to be in compliance; the council did not give approval; she spent more than 50 percent of the actual amount spent in 2015; and there were no other quotes given for the job to be done or what the job entailed.
“My concern is I feel that the cost of this update is exorbitant compared to costs of updates that I’ve been involved with in other municipalities that are less than half the cost of this,” she said. “I am not in favour of proceeding with this and I think we should go to public tender.”
Councillor Dave Mackay said if the CAO is happy with the provider that’s fine by him, because it’s she who is dealing with him. As for going over the policy by $3,000, he said the CAO can be trusted with making decisions.
If it goes to tender, the work won’t begin for quite some time, he said. The process has started, let’s finish it and then it can go to tender for next year, Coun. Mackay suggested.
CAO FitzSimons advised she negotiated the price with the provider who has been working on the website for years, so he is familiar with it. She also added that staff is not capable of uploading information to the website.
The provider is aware the $13,000 has to be approved by council, she added. CAO FitzSimons said this is just one reason why doing budgets so late in the year is a problem.
Coun. Jackson said department heads should be able to upload information to the website.
“We need to take a look at what others can offer,” she said.
She noted there is a website provider in the municipality who wanted to bid on the tender for the upgrades.
Councillor Chris Olmstead believes the CAO acted within her responsibility.
Following a question from Mayor Hal Johnson, CAO FitzSimons said the $13,000 amount is what she negotiated with the service provider, so it will not cost more for the year.
Coun. Jackson said the report does not outline what work the provider will be doing on the website – there is just a figure provided.
“We don’t know what he was asked to do to give a quote on,” she said. “I think it’s very important that we be open and fair for all suppliers. Other suppliers have come to the table and we’ve asked people to be open and fair. I don’t think we should continue on as is this year. I think we pay for the job he’s done so far, because the CAO has verbally committed that and then tender the rest of it.”
The website does need a major overhaul, but there are other providers, she believes, who can do it “cheaper and better.”
Mayor Johnson questioned if the next person would have to start all over if the project is stopped part way through.
He would be in favour of the person providing a list of what he is going to do.
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin believes the CAO has done her very best of what she thinks is right.
“I think we need to proceed along,” he said. “Why do we have a CAO if we are going to take and micro-manage? Yes, I agree, Councillor Jackson probably would have a whole lot more understanding (about the website), but I certainly don’t. I’m just past the point of micro-managing. That’s what we have the CAO for and that’s her recommendation and I think we should move forward.”
CAO FitzSimons said she will ask the provider to provide a list of what he needs to do to the website.
Reeve Terry Millar said the expense has not gone over $10,000, so CAO FitzSimons is following policy.
However, that’s where Coun. Jackson reiterated that the expense is listed at $13,000 in the budget and the work has begun, which it shouldn’t have until after council approval.
Council agreed to table the recommendation until the CAO returns with more information for the next Corporate Services meeting on June 1.
