Town of Grande Cache

Strategic Directions

Recreation, Culture and Heritage

Our 20/20 Vision for Recreation, Culture, and Heritage establishes a new direction for the Town of Grande Cache. It embodies much more than sporting events as we value and recognize the importance of culture and heritage within a recreational context.

One of the cornerstones of our Vision is the clarification of this department’s role in the development of our parks, playgrounds, beaches, and trails. Our vision demonstrates the Town’s commitment to develop and preserve outdoor facilities so that we can contribute to the quality of life enjoyed by all residents. The creation of new trails, maintenance/improvement of existing trails and appropriate use designation to minimize the conflict between motorized and non-motorized trail use.

The Recreation, Culture and Heritage Department is committed to the development and delivery of community events such as festivals, cultural events and developing strategic partnerships with organizations and individuals to deliver a wide variety of cultural opportunities. Music, art, and theatre are examples of many of the cultural initiatives that will be undertaken and developed over time to meet the current and future artistic needs of our residents.

One of the primary tools required for this Vision to move forward is the creation of a new and comprehensive multi-use facility that will be designed to house and provide a broad range of community services and opportunities. The new facility will be a focal point for our community and will be representative of our new direction. In addition, the facility would become a critical facility in providing 18+ youth programming to provide alternative recreation and leisure programming for young adults with a focus on drug and alcohol prevention.

MULTI-USE FACILITY: The new multi-use facility would contain:

• New aquatic facility including wading pool, waterslide and diving boards all designed to facilitate a broad range of aquatic activities.
• Gymnasium
• Daycare facilities (with drop in capabilities for parents who want to utilize the facilities)
• Fine Arts facility and Community Theatre
• Community Hall
• Conference and meeting rooms
• Youth drop in centre
• Library
• Arena
• Curling rink
• Fitness centre
• Community kitchen
• Social services facilities (i.e. early childhood centre, parent link centre, crisis and counseling rooms)
• Racquetball/squash courts
• Dance Studio
• Aerobics/Cardio Gym

COMMUNITY TRAILS: Designated trails (both in and outside of our town boundaries) including multi-use trails, walking/running trails and mountain biking trails. Trails will be developed and maintained on a consistent basis including appropriate signage and infrastructure. Paved community connective trails that encourage healthy lifestyles and the ability for residents to interact and access outdoor recreational opportunities will also be developed.

FESTIVALS AND CULTURAL EVENTS: Creation of new community festivals, such as a festival to celebrate the Canadian Death Race weekend, that celebrate different cultural activities and the expansion and development of existing community events such as Aboriginal Day and Canada Day. A variety of functions that meet the needs of our diverse population.

SKATEBOARD PARK: Construction of an outdoor skateboard park in collaboration with the volunteer skate-park committee designed to provide alternative recreational opportunities for youth.

PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS: Audit of existing parks and playgrounds and retrofit and redevelopment of neighbourhood parks and the development of new parks and playgrounds including the introduction of new and modern play structures that provide safe structures for children to play.

COMMUNITY SKI HILL: Development and construction of a community ski hill that would provide basic skiing and snowboarding. A broader based approach to investigating ski-hill development in Wilmore Park should also be undertaken and a dialogue with the Provincial government started to pursue this opportunity.

WINTER ACTIVITIES: Development of outdoor winter activities such as a community skating pond and the use of neighbourhood trails as skating trails during the winter months. Reconstruction and improvement of community toboggan hill and use of existing facilities (i.e. Campground) for winter activities such as cross-country skiing.

HIRING AND RETENTION OF QUALIFIED RECREATIONAL PROFESSIONALS: Recruitment of qualified professional staff that has the capacity to develop and deliver quality recreational facilities and programs.

RECOGNITION OF GRANDE CACHE AS A LEADING ARTISTIC, CULTURAL AND SPORTING COMMUNITY: Aggressive marketing and promotion of events and opportunities as we work toward establishing our community and a leader in the Province for recreational, cultural and heritage initiatives.

WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT: Development of Grande Cache Beach, including the placement of appropriate beach sand and supporting infrastructure.

ESTBLISHMENT OF PARTNERSHIPS: Reaching out to community groups and organizations so that effective partnerships are developed and maintained and are all working toward common objectives.

DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH SUMMER PROGRAMMING: Expansion and development of daily summer programming that is affordable for all.

DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF TOURNAMENTS: Develop and market sporting tournaments as part of a recreation and tourism master plan.

Family & Community Support Services (F.C.S.S.)

As our population continues to grow and our demographics change, social support services for children and families change and evolve concurrently. It is critical that our community has not only a comprehensive understanding of FCSS but access to programs and services that are relevant and functional.

The cornerstone of our vision is a community in which residents take personal responsibility for their own physical, spiritual, and mental health. FCSS will become a focal point for the community as a trusted, respected and well-utilized department that will assist all residents with social service support. As a result, FCSS will develop into an area that is effectively integrated into the social fabric of Grande Cache and all internal departments of the municipality.

FCSS also strives for excellence and will deliver high quality programs and services for all segments of our community. Critical to this success is the establishment and development of community linkages with other individuals, groups and agencies that will ensure that duplication does not occur, effective partnerships are valued and maintained to deliver the highest quality product.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT: Integrated into the multi-use facility FCSS would realize the building space required to deliver programs and services including after school programming, youth drop in centre, training & support rooms, early childhood centre, parent resource centre and administrative offices.

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL STAFF: In order to effectively meet the needs of our community FCSS must be provided the resources that facilitate the recruitment and retention of professional staff that possess the credentials to deliver programs and services to all people. In addition allocation of funding to promote and mandate ongoing training so all staff are implementing leading edge programs and services.

PROACTIVE PROGRAM DELIVERY: Relevant services and programs to be delivered in a consistent and proactive manner and that are designed to meet the needs of residents thereby decreasing the need for reactive interventions.

EXPANDED PROGRAMMING: Relevant programming that is expanded appropriately to respond to increased demand due to population growth. Such programs would include: marriage counseling, positive relations courses, family relief, youth workshops, grief and loss counseling, anger management services, and parenting programs.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION: Marketing and promotion of programs to establish clear lines of communication with residents so all who reside in Grande Cache have knowledge of available programs and services.

STRATEGIC ALLIANCES: Strategic alliances and partnerships with other community organizations, including schools and churches are critical to pool resources and eliminate duplication in order to efficiently meet community needs.

UTILIZING BEST PRACTICES: Establishing a clear policy of following best practices and lessons learned from other jurisdictions in order to ensure excellence in program and service delivery.

ESTABLISHMENT OF FUTURE LEADERS TRAINING: Providing and encouraging youth to assume positions of leadership and influence within the community. Programs such as 4-H would be established.

EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY: Acquisition of technology that is modern and effective in assisting with the operations of the department.

Public Works

Public Works plays an integral role, as it is not only the Towns largest department it is essential to implement our environmental strategy. As we move toward our vision Public Works will remain at the forefront of a waste reduction policy, ensuring the integrity and quality of our drinking water and utilizing leading edge technology to streamline the operation and to provide superior service to residents.

Public Works also remains integral in the development of our beautification strategy and by maintaining parks and greenspace development within the community. More than just snow removal and heavy equipment operation Public Works will lead the charge on several key strategies of our 20/20 Vision. Public Works will also become integrated into planning and development providing expertise to new subdivisions, commercial and industrial construction.

As we move into the future, it will become the role of Public Works to implement and maintain policies of conservation (including water, power, waste, etc.) and innovative ways of using waste as a resource. Also, by phasing out the use of chemicals Public Works will provide leadership to other industrial sectors in protecting our pristine wilderness.

Public Works will also work to develop our municipal transportation systems and ensure that roads, streets, and alleyways are maintained to the highest standards. Our municipal airport will be further developed and utilized as an economic opportunity to provide direct aviation services to the community in support of business and our tourism sector.

LEADING EDGE RECYCLING PROGRAM: Through education and the implementation of leading edge environmental practices Grande Cache will move toward an immediate waste reduction target of 70%. Moving toward a garbage pick up program of once every two weeks and weekly recycling pick up the community will be empowered to make a meaningful contribution to protect our environment.

• Weekly curbside pick up for all recyclables.
• In home and commercial grade composting facilities.
• Bi-weekly garbage pick-up with a two bag per house limit.
• Blue box program for all residents and commercial operations.
• Introduction of bio-fuel technology.
• Public education and promotion.
• Closure of municipal landfill site.
• Investment and purchase of recycling equipment and infrastructure.
• Phasing out the use of all substances and chemicals harmful to human health.
• Utilization of renewable power sources for commercial and residential applications such as solar or geo thermal technology.
• Planning of all development with a ‘green’ emphasis.
• Strict enforcement of community standards and heavy penalties for non-compliance, particularly from surrounding industry.
• Removal of all chemical substances used for the purification of water.
• Creation of a strong economic advantage for Grande Cache as a result of our leading edge environmental practices.

CREATION OF BEAUTIFICATION AND GREENSPACES SUB-DEPARTMENT: Creation of a sub-department that is tasked with carrying out the beautification strategy for the community including development, construction and on-going maintenance.

DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING OF MUNICIPAL AIRPORT: Maintenance and investment into our municipal airport to ensure that it is used as an economic advantage.

MARKETING AND EXPANSION OF MUNICIPAL CAMPGROUND: The municipal campground would move from the administration of Public Works to the Tourism department and marketed as a valuable tourism product. In addition, the campground would be expanded to handle increased use and demand.

DEVELOPMENT OF APPROPRIATE TRAFFIC AND PEDISTRIAN CONTROLS AND SIGNAGE/LIGHTS: As the community continues to grow and prosper appropriate cross walk lights will be installed at all crosswalk locations. Regular traffic monitoring will occur and traffic lights installed at key intersections to provide maximum safety to pedestrians and motorists. All lights will be operated using green principals (i.e. solar).

RENAMING OF NUMBERED STREETS: Streets that are labeled using numbers (i.e., 97th Ave) will be renamed to take full advantage of our unique community and to be used to market tourism opportunities. New street signs will replace all existing ones and will be designed to tie into the ‘theme’ identified by the Beautification and Renewal Strategy. (N.B. Street numbering in Grande Cache starts in Edmonton as an Edmonton engineer originally designed our street numbering). Similarly, residential house numbering would be simplified (for example: #10206 97th Avenue would become #6 Lynx Ave).

FESTIVE DECORATIONS AND BANNERS: The purchase and installations of festive decorations for public areas and streetlights representing tourist seasons or specific times of year. Banners for light standards that market the community to those traveling through.

ENHANCED COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY: Designed to strengthen communication with the public of departmental projects and activities. In addition, open houses, newsletters, and public activities such as a loader rodeo for Canada Day.

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL STAFF: In order to effectively meet the needs of our community Public Works and Utilities must be provided the resources that facilitate the recruitment and retention of professional staff that possess the credentials to deliver services to the community. In addition allocation of funding to promote and mandate ongoing training so all staff are implementing leading edge programs and services.

PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS: Proactive maintenance and repairs of public works infrastructure is key to maintaining and improving quality of life for residents. This includes roads, sidewalks, gutters, ditching, and drainage. A comprehensive maintenance plan combined with quarterly work plans will ensure that Public Works are keeping our infrastructure in optimum condition.

EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY: Acquisition of technology that is modern and effective in assisting with the operations of the department.

Tourism

Grande Cache remains a hidden jewel nestled within the Canadian Rockies. Often overshadowed by neighbours such as Jasper and Banff, and focused on industrial development, Grande Cache remains an untapped tourism destination.

With the exception of the construction of the Interpretive Centre, there has been very little focus on developing Grande Cache as a product that can be marketed as an international destination. To avoid the boom to bust economic cycles of the past, Grande Cache must make a concerted effort to harness the limitless potential of our pristine wilderness to develop resort and tourism products that will not only diversify our economy to buffer against the uncertainty of a natural resources based economy but raise our profile as one of the worlds last untouched wilderness destinations.

Using existing assets such as Wilmore Provincial Park, Dinosaur Tracks, Highway 16 (shortest route to Alaska), camping locations, Camp Hide-a-Way, Municipal Campgrounds, Canadian Death Race, Interpretive Centre, Sulfur Gates, Passport to the Peaks hiking program, lake and river systems and winter activities, Grande Cache is poised to take the next step in tourism development. With the hiring of a Tourism Manager that is tasked with overall tourism development from a big picture perspective the department is expected to move from solely operating the interpretive centre to overall tourism development in coordination with the Community Development Officer.

RELOCATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF A FOUR SEASON TOURISM RESORT: Due to the desire of the municipality to rezone and develop previously tourism designated land for industrial development, the previous plan to develop the existing golf course into an 18-hole facility is no longer feasible. Including current plans to mine on Grande Mountain, the current location is fast becoming surrounded by industrial development and is no longer the ideal location for this type of facility. By identifying and utilizing a new location (i.e. along the Sulfur River), the Town is positioned to not only attract significant investment but can start with a blank palette as far as developing a facility and product that will ‘put us on the map.’

• An 18-hole golf course built to exceed the expectations of all visitors, constructed in a location that harnesses our natural beauty, and provides a world-class experience.
• Condominium development that supports and enhances the resort experience.
• Utilization and integration of existing operators (i.e. whitewater rafting) to facilitate non-golf experiences.
• Tied into existing or new trail development for summer hiking and eco-tourism opportunities and winter activities such as cross-country skiing.
• Small business development such as pro-shops, gift stores, and sporting goods.
• Development of spa facilities, which offers several resort services for a wide variety of cliental.
• Convention facilities catering to executive retreats and a wide variety of uses.
• World-class restaurants catering to a high end cliental.
• World-class accommodations catering to a high end cliental.
• Snowmobiling/ATV trails for off road tour packages.
• Fishing experiences.
• Mountain biking trails.
• Mountain climbing and interpretive hiking and backpacking.
• Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
• Back country down hill skiing (Heli-skiing).

ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT OF ENTREPRENEURS: Special incentives and creating an environment where entrepreneurs, developing a tourism product, can succeed is key to strengthening and diversifying our economy. In combination with beautification efforts, existing tourism operations and new products should be recognized as critical and encouraged to reinvest in our community.

WORK WITH ABORIGINAL PARTNERS TO CELEBRATE AND DEVELOP A FIRST NATIONS TOURISM PRODUCT: Developing partnerships with the First Nations community to develop cultural and heritage tourism opportunities will strengthen the tourism economy by offering a diversified product.

CAMP HIDE-A-WAY AND CAMPGROUND MARKETING: Both Camp Hide-a-Way and the municipal campground represent significant opportunities in the area of tourism development. Both assets should be moved into the Tourism Department for development and management and become the responsibility of the Manager of Tourism.

AGGRESSIVE MARKETING AND PROMOTION: Development of a multi-faceted marketing campaign including over-haul and redesign of town website, print and electronic promotional materials, marketing campaigns and expanded involvement from Travel Alberta in product development and marketing.

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL STAFF: In order to effectively meet the needs of our community, the Tourism Department must be provided the resources that facilitate the recruitment and retention of professional staff that possess the credentials to develop and grow our tourism product. In addition allocation of funding to promote and mandate ongoing training so all staff are implementing leading edge programs and services.

EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT OF INTERPRETIVE CENTRE: Expansion of the tourism centre to include:

• Expanded theatre facility.
• Interactive displays.
• MP3 Downloads of self guided tours of community.
• Update existing displays.
• Introduction of aboriginal displays and culture.
• Expanded gift shop.
• Artistic and cultural hub of our community.
• Open-air museums and greenspaces with interpretive displays.
• Working with local groups and community partners to expand the tourism product.

EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY: Acquisition of technology that is modern and effective in assisting with the operations of the department.

Land & Economic Development

Development issues for the Town of Grande Cache are divided into two categories: Land and Economic. Land development falls under the jurisdiction of the Development Officer while economic falls under the jurisdiction of the Community Development Officer (CDO). Both sub-departments play an integral role in the development of the other. For example, land development is an indicator of economic development and vice versa.

Community development, whether it be land or economic, is interweaved into all other facets of the organization, and is hinged on creating the environment in which businesses can succeed whether industrial or tourism based.

Land development must be well thought out and planned in a holistic quality of life context, rather than a knee-jerk reaction to economic upswings or downturns. Economic development similarly must be pursued in the context of diversification and follow a specific marketing plan that is correlated with all facets of the municipality.

LAND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY: A comprehensive land development strategy that is correlated and interwoven with all other Town strategies. This plan would take the form of a Municipal Development Plan, which requires rewriting along with the review and modernization of all statutory plans. Once the plan has obtained approval, it must be followed and implemented.

AGGRESSIVE LAND ACQUISITION: In order to be prepared for growth and development (particularly in the tourism sector) the Town must undertake to expand its boundaries through the aggressive acquisition of land from the Province. By expanding boundaries, land can be purchased before the value renders it unobtainable and the Town maintains control of land development in the event that Provincial land policy is amended, placing crown land on the open market.

LEADING EDGE DEVELOPMENTS: To ensure a high quality of life for all residents all new subdivisions should follow leading edge policy as outlined in the Superior Quality of Life section of our 20/20 Vision. Commercial and industrial developments should be planned using the Beautification and Renewal Strategy and leading edge environmental practices.

RECRUITMENT OF TOWN ENGINEER: Budget figures indicate rising cost and dependency on outside services, including engineering and consulting. Dollars expended on engineering services should be converted to wage costs and an internal engineer be employed to work with the Development Officer.

COORDINATION OF LAND PLANNING: Development must happen so that approvals are done in concert with all municipal departments and that decision-making is well rounded and holistic, ensuring that Mayor and Council receive the best information when approving developments.

COMMUNITY CONSULATION AND NOTIFICATION: The broader community needs to be regularly consulted on development initiatives so that there is general understanding of development projects initiated by the Town. In addition, development permits issued should be published for the general public rather than being held by the department only to be challenged by residents after timelines for appeal have passed. Regular aftercare is also essential in order to ensure that development staff is communicating with relevant parties in a timely manner.

BUSINESS EXPANSION AND RETENTION STUDY: A comprehensive business and expansion study should be commissioned by the CDO in order to determine an economic development strategy that will identify gaps within our local economy. In addition, the study should focus attention on municipal policies/actions that affect the ability of existing business to expand and prosper. The study would become the foundation for an overarching economic development strategy.

ECONOMIC ROUNDTABLE: Quarterly meetings held with industry, aboriginal groups, economic development committee, federal institution, chamber of commerce and other appropriate economic interests to share intelligence regarding economic matters. This will also allow the CDO the opportunity to keep a regular pulse on community economic matters.

COMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION AND RENEWAL STRATEGY: A comprehensive strategy to beautify and renew sections of the community particularly focusing on the downtown area. The study would develop a ‘sense of place’ for the Town as well as establish architectural guidelines for new developments, greenspace development, park and playground renewal and a front door approach to attract visitors into the community.

CONSISTENT MARKETING MESSAGE: Development of a consistent marketing campaign and message that stays on target and is consistent across the organization. Consistent advertisements using a similar format or style are imperative for ‘branding’ exercises of the community and the enhancement of a recognizable image.

CUTTING EDGE WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT: The construction of a new web site is imperative in pursing economic development and marketing opportunities, including the introduction of web marketing activities such as enhanced Google searches and other means of drawing attention to the site. In addition, on-line shopping, trip organizer, and land/investment information should be introduced along with existing information regarding our community.

EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY: Acquisition of technology that is modern and effective in assisting with the operations of the department.

Administration

Administration is the heartbeat of the organization and the unseen workforce that keeps the bills paid, complaints registered, workers paid and so on. In order to provide excellence in administration there are several key categories that need to be addressed. Specifically: budgetary and finance, human resources, customer service/support staff and policy analysis development.

As part of our overarching plan, the Administration Department plays an integral role in providing leadership and guidance to not only department heads but to Mayor and Council. The Town of Grande Cache recognizes that maintaining a high quality of life requires close attention to our natural and built environments. The Town is therefore committed to protecting and enhancing our community’s environment through responsible and sustainable decision-making and operations. Moreover, the Town acknowledges the need and welcomes the challenge and opportunity of applying and integrating our 20/20 Vision into policy and procedures, including those related to our key focus areas. Effective administration is essential to ensuring the long-term viability of our community and ensuring that the goals and targets set forth are realized in a proactive manner.

DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE TAXATION STRATEGY: Fair and equitable taxation strategies are essential, however, the Town requires a new approach to taxation, a long term taxation vision based on sound economic principals and not short term decisions made in isolation based on politics. Taxation is the foundation to ensuring that revenues are raised to develop and sustain our infrastructure as well as proactive long term planning for capital replacement and development. Deferring tax increases in favour of short-term political leverage is not a progressive strategy and taxation must be based on proactive planning and our 20/20 Vision. Small, consistent, incremental tax adjustments are favored over long periods of zero increases followed by significant increases required to ‘catch up’ with escalating costs. Our keys to effective and successful taxation are:

• Ensuring that our taxation system encourages enterprise, growth, and job creation.
• Ensuring that municipal taxation affects people in proportion to their ability to pay.
• Ensuring that our municipal tax encourages sustainable development, resource conservation, and environmental protection.
• Municipal taxation must be easily administered by staff and easy to collect. It must also be easy for residents and businesses to understand and comply.
• The Town must get value for tax dollars.

INCREASED ASSESSMENT BASE: Growth in our assessment base is critical in ensuring that revenue generation is being derived from economic development as opposed to zero growth taxation increases.

COMPETITIVE TAXATION ENVIRONMENT: To remain competitive and to stimulate economic development taxation rates, although progressive, need to remain in check ensuring Grande Cache is competitive with neighboring jurisdictions. The Town’s ability to introduce new sources of revenues will be a key component to this strategy and requires cooperative efforts with key partners, residents, private sector, and the Province.

SMART DEBT: Debt is required to continue with the municipal development that is required to meet the needs of the community, however, Grande Cache must engage in smart debt borrowing policy and the avoidance of high levels of debt accumulation. Because the Town must pay its debt through our operating budget and is not allowed to borrow for operating expenses, the Town must be careful to ensure that its capital borrowing does not impinge upon its ability to meet all service needs and ensure debt repayment.

MAINTENANCE OF ASSETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE: Maintaining and improving the Towns assets and infrastructure is essential in meeting the needs of our residents and attracting new investment and business to the community. The Town must aggressively restore its infrastructure and redevelop its downtown as a means of improving Grande Cache’s competitiveness and growth potential. This will be accomplished by adopting a policy-based approach to infrastructure investment.

ENSURING ADEQUATE RESERVES: In order to ensure that the Town has the ability to respond to unexpected events and extraordinary situations (i.e. natural disasters) maintaining adequate reserves are essential. Capital reserves also allow the Town to use cash rather than debt finance capital projects. Special purpose reserves are maintained in order to address specific programs and needs and provide financial stability. The Town must monitor its reserve potion against future requirements to ensure adequate reserve balances are maintained.

MUNICIPAL BUDGETS WHICH REFLECT OUR 20/20 VISION: Ensuring that municipal budgets reflect our strategic directions and operational needs we will move toward goal realization. By providing our departments the authority and accountability to manage and allocate their resources within the service level and budget guidelines approved by Council we will become more efficient and accountable.

INTRODUCTION AND EXPANSION OF E-GOVERNMENT: Using technology effectively to enhance access and delivery of Town services to benefit residents, business and employees is critical in reducing the cost of local government. Future initiatives would include:

• Interactive voice technology to provide information and respond to resident inquires.
• Access to reports, minutes, brochures, and other Town information via the web site.
• Internet-based services such as accessing assessment information, scanning for library holdings, maps of the Town, properties for sale etc.
• Early planning of resident/visitor self-service programs such as electronic trip planning, recreation program registration, and electronic permit issuance.
• Streamlined and effective intranet and online scheduling and communications between departments.
• To make every resident’s computer homepage the Town’s website.

EFFECTIVE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: As part of a human resource plan, recruitment and retention of staff is critical to ensuring the goals of our 20/20 Vision are realized. We will develop and maintain a highly effective workforce by attracting, retaining, and developing the right people in an environment that encourages and contributes to their effectiveness.

• Recruiting, attracting and retaining only talented people into our organization and not filling position just for the sake of filling it.
• Maintain succession plans to identify and invest in employees who show increasing levels of leadership and responsibility within the organization.
• Corporate compensation, benefits, and recognition programs that support staff in achieving strategic objectives.
• Regular salary review to ensure competitiveness in the marketplace.
• Developing a corporate culture where employees pride themselves on professional and personal development in a continuous learning environment.
• Developing a work environment that keeps staff motivated and productive.
• Development of a comprehensive financial management system that support the Town in delivering excellent customer service, work management, and accountability.
• Development of comprehensive policy and procedures manual complete with accurate job descriptions for all employees.

CONSTRUCTION OF NEW MUNICIPAL OFFICES: As part of the multi-use facility strategy new municipal offices would be included that would be significant enough to provide the required space and tools to deliver superior service to the community. Offices would include:

• Council Chambers and boardroom.
• Suitable office space for all administrative needs in an expanding environment.
• Conference room and meeting space.
• Technical space to support servers and e-government infrastructure.
• Attractive and inviting front counter space to serve all departments within the facility.
• Staffroom space.
• Required security.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY: By creating an internal and external newsletter both staff and the public will be better informed of the operations of the Town. Enhancing communication strategies and moving away from complete dependence on the local paper to communicate with residents will strengthen the organization and encourage informed dialogue with administration and Mayor and Council alike.