Update from Councillor Cathy Curry
I have had about ten emails and a few calls from Kanata North residents regarding City Manager Wendy Stephanson’s decision to have City staff back in the office 5 days a week. This decision was made by the person who is in charge of managing City staff. There is a motion that Council will debate that would see Council removing the authority our City Manager has to manage her staff. The City Manager’s job is to oversee all of the departments that do the important work that makes our city run. The City Manager oversees all of the motions that Council has passed to ensure work is done. In her opinion, work is not getting done as efficiently with city staff not coming into the office 5 days a week. I agree that work from home can offer great benefits. Keep in mind, 85% of City staff cannot work from home due to the work they do. And, of the other 15%, most are currently participating in a hybrid model (most at 3 days a week). It is great that when there are bad weather days, or employees are sick or have children home from school sick, City employees are now set up with the technology that enables them to work from home. However, if the City Manager feels that there are reasons why 5 days in the office would make work get done better and faster, I feel I have to respect her knowledge and her judgement. That said, the City Manager has told Council that she has directed every manager to look at each individual position and make the determination of what makes most sense based on the type of work that needs to be done and the space available. I trust that individual decisions will be made with respect and consideration, and common sense will prevail.
I have had a number of emails about the traffic around schools during school drop off and pick up times. At the Mlacak Centre, the line up of cars in the parking lot, on the road, blocking access to the library, rink, Art Gallery and Seniors’ Centre is creating significant safety concerns for everyone. We recently met with representatives from all of the groups who use the Mlacak Centre and have determined that changes are necessary. I recently met with the school principal at the Earl of March to set out a new plan. If you are a user of the Mlacak Centre or are a parent dropping off/picking up your child at Earl of March, stay tuned for a new system. And, of course, please try to encourage your children/grandchildren to walk to school or walk a certain distance to school. Students can be dropped off in other areas and walk the last half kilometer.
I have had a lot of people reach out to send congratulations about the new STEM high school program with the OCDSB in the Tech Park. I attended the official opening and was able to see the students in their new “classroom!” Let me tell you, it is nothing like a classroom you would see in a regular high school. It is a state-of-the-art facility with a curriculum that is exactly what students today need to be taking in high school to be prepared for a job in tech. More on this below!