Council has extinguished any guarantee that city hall job vacancies will be filled, requesting Monday an update this spring on managers’ efforts to review before making new hires.
City manager Jeff Fielding already announced plans to conduct reviews of the roughly 700 vacancies in city hall jobs. Coun. Peter Demong persuaded his colleagues Monday to grant council’s endorsement for that idea, and demand a progress update by late April.
Nearly all councillors supported Demong’s motion, though a few wondered if it was necessary to vote on an initiative that was already underway.
“It’s overkill. At a minimum of four times we’ve discussed this issue,” said Coun. Richard Pootmans, the lone No vote.
City of Calgary doesn’t rely directly on income taxes or oil royalties, so it’s buffered from the massive revenue plunge that the provincial government faces. There’s less of a need to trim civic operating expenses, but Demong has expressed desire to limit the burden on property ratepayers if possible.
There are currently about 75 job listings on the city’s online careers board — everything from admisistrative assistance and web content advisor to transit shuttle driver and skate park monitor.
