City of Vernon employees are on the move

Council Comments – August 13, 2006 http://www.vernon.ca/news/council_comments/060813.pdf
In an effort to serve you better, City of Vernon employees are on the move.The Human Resources, Information Services and Bylaws Divisions are moving to the new Corporate Services Building, former home to North Okanagan Youth and Family Services, at 2900 32 Avenue.
Moving other departments within City Hall will occur shortly afterwards, with a completion date of late November. Once the move to the Corporate Services Building (CSB) is complete, City Hall upper floor will undergo renovations which will see the relocation of offices and staff to better serve the public. Maintenance staff will try to minimize the impact of the daily City Hall operation by scheduling work after normal business hours where possible, but a certain amount of construction must take place during regular business hours.The change in floor plans has come at a time when City Hall, which was built in the 1960’s, can no longer accommodate the staff needed to perform essential municipal tasks. This is due to the growth of the Vernon area in the last five years, and Council's commitment to keep service levels constant. In making the arrangements to move some divisions to the CSB, it was determined that moving other divisions around within City Hall would create more efficiencies and better access for the public. While there currently is wheelchair access to City Hall on both floors, only one floor can be accessed at a time as there is no elevator. Moving essential services to the upper floor in City Hall will mean better access for the general public.Staff on the upper floor of City Hall will be relocated to better suit the space and flow of the building, while downstairs Counter Clerks from Planning and Engineering and Business Licenses will now be located upstairs. Engineering services will remain on the lower floor of City Hall. This means easier access for developers and for the general public, as main municipal services will be located on one floor.“Citizens have told us they want more efficiencies in City Hall and easier access to our services,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert. “It was necessary to make renovations at this time in response to these needs.”Also in an effort to better serve the public, and manage staff time without creating additional staff positions, appointments will now be required for City Planners. “We’re doing what we can with our resources rather than having to hire more people,” said Leon Gous, Chief Administrative Officer.