Initiatives Prince George has eliminated one and a half full-time positions as part of a strategy to realize cost savings this year.
Initiatives Prince George acting CEO Heather Oland, chairperson Glen Wonders and vice-chairperson Mark Feldinger presented the economic development agency's 2012 budget to city council. IPG is anticipating a $260,500 savings in wages and benefits over 2011.
"We have reduced FTEs [full-time equivalents] in the organization. We had one resignation and a half-time FTE," Wonders said. "It's definitely not just one position."
Initiatives Prince George currently employs six people, following the resignation of former president Tim McEwan in January.
The agency will be taking part in the city's core service review, Wonders added. In addition, Initiatives Prince George is conducting its own review of its
services internally, Oland said.
"We are fully committed to finding savings. It is our commitment to you," Oland told council. "We're in the midst of a transition."
Oland said the agency will be examining its marketing and sponsorship spending.
"We're going to be really strategic in all of our expenditures," she said. "[But] it's important to note that we take the core city budget to leverage additional dollars from other levels of government and the private sector."
The city currently provides $1.02 million of the agency's $1.62 million
budget.
Coun. Brian Skakun called on IPG to do a better job of communicating to city council and the public what it is
achieving.
"People in the community... want to see they are getting value for the
money," Skakun said.
Oland said Initiatives Prince George is in the midst of developing a, "matrix of measurables," to provide a clearer picture of what taxpayers get from their economic development agency.
"Obviously the communication piece is a critical piece of the renewal of our relationship," Wonders said.
Budget blindside
Coun. Albert Koehler proposed the city cut funding to Initiatives Prince George by $50,000 during the meeting. In January, when council announced the $1.99 million in cuts, council said it would maintain funding for Initiatives Prince George and Tourism Prince George at 2011 levels.
"I believe that Initiatives Prince George can, as we have, deliver the services we all want... with five per cent less," Koehler said.
"I can't support that at this time. It's almost blindsiding them a bit," Skakun said.
Coun. Murry Krause said the last-minute change is, "too arbitrary," and not based on a clear understanding of IPG's budget.
Koehler and Coun. Cameron Stolz supported the $50,000 cut; the rest of council opposed it.
