Making what was a temporary clerk role permanent will cost Williams Lake nearly $100,000 per year, but it should save in RCMP overtime, according to a report.
Ashley Williston, director of human resources for the city, said hiring a full time general investigation section clerk on a permanent basis will help save the city on their RCMP costs.
Williston prepared a report to council for their Nov. 26 committee of the whole meeting, requesting early budget approval for the position, budgeted as a full time permanent position earning $35.46 per hour plus benefits to work an estimated 1,950 hours a year. This adds up to a total cost for the city of $94,672.50 per year.
"This will not be a new cost. The city is already incurring this cost within our current operating budget and paying astronomically through our policing costs," wrote Williston in the report.
She said the cost will be offset through savings on casual hours, full time employee overtime and RCMP overtime.
The new role is a result of a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) which came into effect between RCMP and Crown Counsel having to do with disclosing information to Crown during an investigation.
Earlier in 2024, the MOU meant RCMP are now expected to share information in "real time" in larger files like murders, sex assaults and other serious assaults. Due to the requirement, officers could be diverted from investigations in order to deal with these administrative tasks.
Williston said while the goal was to be able to convict and hold offenders accountable, it increases the administration required for these larger files and can lead to extensive overtime for RCMP members.
Council also considered the matter at the Sept. 24, 2024 in-camera personnel meeting and forwarded it on to the budget review for 2025, according to Williston's report.
She said the cost would be an estimated 1.5 per cent of a tax increase if the RCMP were to do the work, while a municipal position at this amount of over $94,000 per year will be a point six-three per cent of a tax increase for the city.
"Those are your two choices, there's no other options," she told council at the committee of the whole meeting in the Rick Hansen board room.
Coun. Scott Nelson blamed the additional costs on the courts and Crown Counsel.
"They continuously, continuously let the hoodlums out and the thugs out into our community," he said, suggesting the city come back to put pressure on the courts to prevent some releases back into the community.
Coun. Angie Delainey requested staff provide a quarterly report on the increased costs being incurred by city taxpayers in response to the changes to the MOU, costs for which the city is not funded.
The council voted in favour of the budgetary approval, adding a recommendation to send a report to the federal and provincial governments on the additional costs to the city. The item will now move forward to be formally passed at a regular council meeting.
