Will Pearce backs service review

Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: June 06, 2012 1:00 AM
Vernon’s new chief administrative officer won’t speculate on possible job cuts. Will Pearce took up duties Monday and one of his tasks will be assisting council with a core service review. “When one looks at a review, one of the steps is to look at the services being provided and assess if they are highly valued or if there is a desire to get budgets under control,” he said. Some residents have expressed concerns about the number of employees at city hall, but Pearce won’t go there yet. “It’s a loaded question until we do the review,” he said, adding there is a need for organizations to periodically consider how they conduct business. “It’s an opportunity to make sure we’re delivering the right services. If not, we need to make some adjustments.” A new administrator can change the tone of day-to-day operations, but Pearce doesn’t believe city staff should be worried. “To deliver services, you need skilled, motivated and committed individuals delivering services. My job is to ensure we have that environment. Our commitment to council and the community is to deliver services the best we can,” he said. “An administrator will not succeed if they create a negative environment and undermines trust and an individual’s ability to do their job.” Pearce was chief administrative officer in Cranbrook and he has also worked in Okotoks, Alta. and Calgary. “I’m not an advocate of revolutionary change, It undermines productivity,” he said of his style. “I’m an advocate of evolutionary change. Any organization that stands still will die. If people have expectations that tomorrow will be the same as today, that is unrealistic.” The 60-year-old Pearce who replaces Leon Gous as CAO, says he has been impressed by his experiences so far at city hall. “The folks I have met are professional and service oriented. They are working towards the long-term goal of improving service and that’s all I can ask for,” he said. Pearce expects a multi-year business plan will be developed with council. “I will work closely with mayor and council and determine their objectives. What do they see as the future of the community? Are there strengths and weaknesses?”