City Announces Details of Reorganization
Mayor Dennis O’Keefe is pleased to announce the details of a wide-reaching reorganization currently underway at City Hall.
“The City has not undergone any structural reorganization in 25 years,” says Mayor O’Keefe. “In the years since our last reorganization the City has seen massive changes and the next 25 years will see dramatic change, growth and development. The City has to reposition itself to successfully meet the new growth challenges it will face to better serve the public and facilitate development.”
The new organizational structure will be led by an administrative team composed of five Deputy City Managers who will report to the City Manager. Municipal services provided by the City will be delivered through five departments:
- Department of Planning, Development and Engineering
- Department of Public Works
- Department of Community Services
- Department of Corporate Services
- Department of Financial Services
The primary objective of the reorganization is to improve service delivery to the public and increase the City’s focus on long-term strategic planning.
“The City, and the region, is growing at an unprecedented rate, and our municipal service delivery model must be adjusted to be responsive to that growth,” says Mayor O’Keefe. “As development is expected to continue at this rate for the foreseeable future, we must focus on long-term planning and where we want to be as a City in 10, 15 or 20 years.”
The new structure also includes the creation of a new Office of Strategy and Engagement reporting directly to the City Manager. In addition to leading the strategic planning process, an engagement framework will be developed to improve internal and external communications and enhance the level of public engagement on City issues.
Mayor O’Keefe concluded by emphasizing that the new structure is not expected to significantly increase the cost of running the City.
“This is not about adding a lot of new positions; it’s about realigning existing functions, responsibilities and personnel,” he says. “Where a few new positions are created, savings will be identified elsewhere in the budget to substantially offset the cost.”
For further information:
Jennifer Mills
Communications Officer
City of St. John's
Phone: (709) 570-2037
Cell: (709) 690-7586
E-mail: jmills@stjohns.ca
Dennis O’Keefe
Mayor
City of St. John's
Phone: (709) 576-8477
E-mail: dokeefe@stjohns.ca