2024 Chief Administrative Officer performance objectives, as presented and discussed at the February 6, 2024, closed Committee of the Whole meeting…

44:44first one was on Claire Mulpey's secondary plan, the Ontario Land Tribunal

44:48update.

44:49And so Council did receive a legal advice along with some recommendations and so

44:56we did give direction to staff on those.

45:00And that is my summary on that item.

45:04On the second one, which is titled 2024, Chief Administrative Officer Performance

45:08Objectives, we had a quick discussion on those and it's now an opportunity for us

45:14to actually report on those in open.

45:18And so I would like to ask Councillor Keran to just bring forward the motion from

45:24in-camera and after that vote, we'll go to the next stage of the objectives.

45:31Sure, I will do that.

45:31I don't have the motion before me though.

45:34It'll be up on screen.

45:37Moved by myself, seconded by Councillor Klosson that the 2024 Chief Administrative

45:42Officer Performance Objectives as presented and discussed at the February 6, 2024 closed

45:48committee of the whole meeting be approved and that the Chief Administrative Officer

45:52present a public presentation on their 2024 performance objectives at the February 6

45:57committee of the whole meeting, which is now so once this is passed, I'll turn it over to our

46:02CEO, Mr. Stewart.

46:04Thank you.

46:05Is there anything further before I call the vote?

46:07Hearing and seeing none, is anyone against the performance objectives for 2024?

46:13Hearing and seeing none, that's unanimous.

46:15Thank you so much.

46:16So CAO Scott Stewart, I will turn the microphone over to you to present publicly what the

46:22objectives are for this year.

46:24Great.

46:24Thank you very much, Mayor Guthrie and members of Council.

46:26Thanks for the chance to present them publicly.

46:29And also thank you to the guidance of the subcommittee that got us here today.

46:33As well over the last couple of months.

46:35So thank you to Councillor Caron and downer, Oroch, Alton, of course yourself, Mayor Guthrie.

46:41There's a couple of slides I've got just before I jump right in with the objectives.

46:47So the, this is just to set up a bit of context.

46:50So as I just pull up, that's the slide I'm looking for.

46:53This context is important here because I think it helps set the context to the objectives

46:58for you.

46:58But I think equally as importantly for any of the audience that might be watching today,

47:03the connection to our future Guelph strategic plan continues to serve as the north star for

47:10the organization as we work to achieve our community's vision for Guelph's future.

47:15So with that and our desire, our vision is to be an inclusive, connected,

47:18prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment.

47:23So that's not new to you, but I just, that's a bit of context.

47:25The next slide as well on this one here, this is our strategic plan, the priorities you've

47:30seen them before, but they're represented by these four themes that you're seeing on the screen.

47:36So our foundations of course is that's the responsible and accountable civil service,

47:41being the strongest organization we can to be, to better serve our community.

47:46And then city buildings, supporting, housing growth and fast and infrastructure and transportation

47:51networks and community places and spaces.

47:55So whether that's, that's libraries or community centers or parks, you know,

47:58that all fits into that theme.

48:01And then the environment where we support community climate change action,

48:05doing our part to reduce greenhouse gas, our greenhouse gas emissions,

48:10protecting our environment for future generations.

48:12And again, that just lays out the sort of course of time that you often think about,

48:16but this is just context for audience.

48:19And then people in the economy and proven economic prosperity, safety and community well-being.

48:24And again, these are just to reemphasize that the 2024 CEO objectives are informed by and

48:30directly connected to these themes.

48:33So jumping right into the first one, maintain the city's healthy financial position.

48:38And that's all about exactly what it says, maintain in the city's financial health

48:43and our commitment to responsible fiscal management.

48:46That's not new, of course.

48:48And that's why we've got triple A credit ratings.

48:51That's why we're in a good place in terms of debt capacity and what's in our reserves.

48:57But that's not happenstance.

48:59That's, this is your way of saying to your CEO, you need to have your eyes on that along with

49:04all the, all the staff that look after these things.

49:06And so you'll see that we'll effectively execute on the multi-year budget.

49:11And it allows us to explore other opportunities within that in terms of holding companies

49:16and those sort of things.

49:17So there's a lot of components to good financial health.

49:20But that really speaks to the details on that one.

49:24And then our second one here as we move through, also under foundations really,

49:29involve the way we advocate for our city.

49:31So the, the subcommittee felt this was a good discussion to have and involve was the important

49:36step there.

49:36We have been doing advocacy.

49:38So this isn't a brand new piece of thinking.

49:40It's the evolution now.

49:42And so it's really about enhancing and elevating the advocacy.

49:46There are strategy to continue to demonstrate leadership and tackling complex issues that we

49:51face as a community.

49:52So whether that's housing, mental health, addictions, community safety and well-being,

49:57or climate change and many more, we need the ability to move.

50:02And, and you know, there's a great example on the agenda as well.

50:06The half, the, the, the funding that we've received there, that, that advocacy that took

50:11place behind the scenes from your staff, that's the change.

50:15And they don't always arrive with a $21.4 million check, but that advocacy is going to

50:20be a difference maker.

50:22And we think this is, how do we evolve that so that as we interact with other orders of

50:28government, but equally importantly within the community, how do we prioritize, collaborate

50:33and influence, so not with the other, only the other levels of government, but also with

50:38our partners in the community.

50:40And so this will allow us to clarify where the city's accountability lies, where, and we can

50:45identify where we should lead.

50:47But there's many times where we can support, and then there's other times where can we influence

50:52on that holistic approach, sustainable solutions to critical issues facing our community.

50:57So it's a significant, but a nuanced change to advocacy.

51:03And then on this next one, enhance our organization culture of inclusion and belonging to attract

51:09and retain talent.

51:10So, you know, we are preaching to the converted to when we're talking to each other about this one.

51:15You know, this allows us to mirror things that are happening in our community plan around

51:20sort of vision around equity, diversity, excuse me, inclusion, and of course, well-being.

51:28But this is foundational work here.

51:30This is everything that we do.

51:32They, our staff, your staff, they're part of the community.

51:36They live here.

51:37They work here.

51:38They pay taxes here.

51:39They enroll the children in programs here.

51:42And so they have got a good sense of what it takes to deliver services for this community.

51:46And when they're happy employees, you know, you get great, happy services.

51:51So that's nothing new to any of you that are being involved in the business sector at all.

51:55That's just the sense of the responsibility that you're saying we should take and care for our

52:00employees as we do.

52:01And it's not always just fiscal and monetary.

52:03There is other pieces to this.

52:06And that's where that attraction and retention happens.

52:09You get great staff.

52:10You want to retain them.

52:11And that great staff have an echo chamber of it's a wonderful place to work.

52:16You should come and work here.

52:17That's an important piece for us, other than just another posting on a social media blog somewhere

52:22about a vacancy.

52:23It's so much more than a vacancy.

52:25And it's that passion that your staff are bringing to the table.

52:28So this one will build on that so that we can continue to see that.

52:32And we're seeing some great changes in the last number of years built on our successes.

52:37And you'll see a little something later today on the two o'clock agenda in terms of

52:42being a top employer.

52:43And that's a reflection of your staff, but it's a reflection of your leadership.

52:47And that's a great combination for sure.

52:50The next one, advance the city's role in achieving the housing pledge,

52:56including policy work that supports both housing and enabling affordable and supportive housing

53:00initiatives.

53:02So housing remains one of our core issues facing this community, of course,

53:06right across the entire continuum.

53:08And that, again, is not new to you.

53:11But we are continuing to advance work related to our housing pledge.

53:14And this objective here will allow us to leverage the expertise of community partners.

53:20We're going to take that holistic view of these.

53:22This is a very complex issue related to housing.

53:25We play a strong and significant role, but at the end of the day, you don't, we don't build homes.

53:32Today anyway.

53:33And I don't see that in the immediate future.

53:35But we can do lots of things in the housing accelerator fund that you hear about later

53:40today is a great example of that.

53:42What can we do to make it easier for housing to appear on that continuum somewhere,

53:48whatever the type of housing is.

53:50So we spent a lot.

53:51We've spent a lot of time last year on this.

53:52You've spent, I think 2023 was the year of education and orientation and all those other

53:59wonderful things up into including last week's symposium with the county.

54:04And this is just a reflection of that work that will continue in and throughout 2024 and beyond.

54:12And then the next one here, of course, oversight of the advancement of downtown projects

54:17that support a vibrant downtown community for everyone.

54:20Oh boy, did I skip one already?

54:23Well, let me go, let me go to, what if you, yeah, there it is.

54:27Sorry, Andrew, I'm buggering you up here.

54:29Um, so execute investments in 100% renewal that enable the city to reduce corporate greenhouse gas

54:37emissions, conserve energy, advanced water protection and conservation and support,

54:41race to zero community, energy objectives.

54:44This one's a little lengthy to just to say it out loud because there's, it's lengthy work.

54:49It's good work.

54:49There's a ton of things that we're doing here and that we're delivering on our corporate

54:55commitments to reduce our energy consumption and of course greenhouse gas emissions.

55:00We need to continue to work with the broader community on what they're doing, how they're

55:04doing it and encourage alignment to our progress as well.

55:08And I think one of the key things for the subcommittee is can we share our goals more often?

55:14Can we put the flag up, the flagpole a little bit more about the work that's taken place?

55:20The good end, not so good.

55:21Mostly it's all great work, but let's talk about that in the community so that they hear it a

55:26little more often so that you're not stuck with not being able to address it.

55:30So if that part of the challenge behind the scenes is how do we report this so that

55:35A, it moves beyond, we see it on a dashboard, but you see it as community leaders and equally

55:41important, the actual community can see it as well.

55:43So look for more things in the coming year on these files and it's across the board.

55:49This isn't a particular department or service area, it cuts across quite a number and really

55:55this is the moment that you're starting to see this is in our DNA and it's coming into life in

56:00terms of your direction to us and how we implement these things.

56:04So whether that's in transit or in facilities or in our environmental services group,

56:09you just want to hear a little bit more about that and that's reasonable and that's something

56:12that you should expect from us.

56:14And it's codified now so you have more than high expectations, this should be

56:20some deliverables for that one too.

56:22And I must have been excited to get to this one.

56:25Oversight of the advancement of the downtown projects that support a vibrant

56:28downtown community for everyone.

56:30So I think the key here is it's for everyone.

56:34We've got our strategic investments that are now underway in the downtown.

56:39We're investing in housing, we're infrastructure renewal, place making,

56:43that benefit people, our businesses that call home, go out home today and of course into the

56:50future.

56:50So it's who isn't here yet as well in terms of that housing file.

56:55You know there's a college that's setting up here so what does that look like for us?

56:59What does it look like at Baker Street?

57:00How is it all coordinated?

57:02And we get a once in a lifetime opportunity to take advantage of the opportunity that these

57:08pipes are old and they have to be replaced and if we're going to go to all that trouble,

57:11how do we engage with the DGBN in an appropriate way that also sets up the table for what this

57:18will look like?

57:19So we don't have to argue as we tend to do with projects in the downtown.

57:24Let's get everybody on board.

57:25And so this was committee's way of saying as the CEO we expect that office to keep an eye on it.

57:31And you know that we've moved the economic development and tourism

57:36shop into the CEO's office recently.

57:38Within that is embedded is the downtown folks as well.

57:42So this is where it will come together.

57:43It's so that's appropriate that there's a CEO's eye on this.

57:46But there's expenditures across the organization.

57:49All four service areas are committed here to this work.

57:52This is the heartbeat of the city.

57:54There's lots of beautiful places in the city.

57:57But this is one where we've got big investments happening now.

58:01And so make sure it's coordinating.

58:02We don't miss an opportunity and then we're 15 years from now.

58:05We're still debating something in the downtown.

58:08We get to do this once.

58:10And this might be where we'll also have to have some compromise for folks along the way.

58:14So that you know there's an old saying that half a loaf is better than no loaf.

58:19So some of the activities we're going to see in our infrastructure work will take place.

58:24But perfection sometimes gets in the way.

58:26And then we have to get this thing moving because the pipes have to be replaced.

58:30And that will be the driver then to allow sort of growth as we come from Wellington

58:35and head north.

58:36And you know the boundaries of downtown.

58:38So that quickly Mr. Mayor was a bit of an overview.

58:41And I think the last slide just says thank you very much.

58:44And if there's any questions, it's my pleasure to answer them.

58:50Great.

58:50Thank you so much to the CAO.

58:52Is there any questions at this time on the objectives being presented?

58:57No.

58:57Pretty clear.

58:59Great.

59:00Well then with that I'll just say on behalf of council thank you very much Scott.

59:04Appreciate it.

59:05And to how you're delegating this out to the executive team and to others.

59:10So we really appreciate that.

59:13And we'll move on.

59:16It's two minutes to two.

59:19And that's when our open session starts.

59:22So I am going to call literally a two minute break.