OTTAWA POLICE SERVICES BOARD                                                                       REPORT

COMMISSION DE SERVICES POLICIERS                                                             RAPPORT

 

 


Our File/N/Réf.                 07-00-0002

 

DATE                               20 March 2001

 

TO/DEST.                        Chair and Members of the Ottawa Police Services Board

 

FROM/EXP.                    Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board

 

SUBJECT/OBJET            SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE OTTAWA

                                         POLICE SERVICES BOARD AND SECRETARIAT SERVICES

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Ottawa Police Services Board approve the attached Service Level Agreement with the City of Ottawa’s Secretariat Services Division.

 

BACKGROUND

 

When the former Gloucester, Nepean and Ottawa Police Services amalgamated into the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Police Service in 1995, the new Regional Police Services Board was staffed by personnel from the Clerk’s Department of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton.  This informal arrangement was acceptable to both parties as it kept the costs of administering the Board to a minimum, allowed the Board to take advantage of resources available through the Clerk’s Department such as mail, printing, translation and communication services, and fostered good relations between the two organizations.  The relationship was never formalized through a written agreement, nor were the costs associated with the staff ever reflected in the Police Services Board’s budget. 

 

The transition to one City of Ottawa has provided an opportunity to both formalize and clarify the parameters of this arrangement.  Accordingly, the attached Service Level Agreement has been prepared to define the relationship between the City of Ottawa’s Secretariat Services and the Ottawa Police Services Board.  Developed jointly by the Board’s Executive Director and the Director of Secretariat Services, it identifies the services and human resources to be provided by Secretariat Services to the Board; the expectations and requirements of the Board with regard to its staff; a procedure for resolving service issues; and key contacts for the Board and Secretariat Services.  In addition, it provides for a budgetary charge-back so that the costs of supporting the Board are reflected in its budget. 

 

The Agreement ensures that the Board’s staff are ultimately accountable to it for functional purposes and that the Board has the ability to establish and monitor the workplans of its staff.  As a statutorily independent agency responsible for ensuring the provisions of the Police Services Act and the Provincial Adequacy Standards Regulation are met, it is essential that the Board have control over its staff’s workplans, and the ability to monitor and assess performance.

 

The Agreement also formalizes the existing usage of City centres of expertise such as Financial Services and services provided through Secretariat Services. 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no financial implications associated with the Service Level Agreement.  The amount of the funds currently expended for the Board’s two permanent staff positions will remain the same, but will show up in the Board’s budget through a charge-back arrangement.  The overall cost to the Muncipality will not change.

 

This report is respectfully submitted for the Board’s approval.

 

 

 

Original signed by

 

Wendy Fedec

Executive Director

 

Attach. ( 1 )

 

City of Ottawa

Secretariat Services / Police Services Board

Service Level Agreement

 

 

1.   Purpose of Agreement

 

This agreement defines the relationship between the City of Ottawa’s Secretariat Services and the Ottawa Police Services Board (hereafter referred to as “the Board”).  The agreement can at any time be revised to address emerging or changing needs.

 

2.   Objectives

 

The following objectives are addressed in this Agreement:

 

·        To identify the services and human resources provided by Secretariat Services to the Board.

·        To identify the requirements and expectations of the Board with respect to these services and resources.

·        To define a procedure to resolve service issues.

·        To identify key contacts for Secretariat Services and the Board.

 

3.   Services / Resources Provided by Secretariat Services

 

      1.   The Director of Secretariat Services / City Clerk will provide staff to the Board to enable it to effectively fulfill its mandate in accordance with the Ontario Police Services Act and associated regulations, and the Board’s own Business Plan.  As of 1 January 2001, the current incumbents working for the Board will continue to work for the Board on a full-time, permanent basis, namely:

 

            a)         Wendy Fedec, Executive Director

            b)         Diane Blais, Board Administrative Assistant.

 

            The incumbents working for the Board cannot be changed without the consent of the Board.  The Board, as an independent employer, has the right to recruit additional staff resources it requires.  The status of additional employees (i.e. contract vs. permanent) and their relationship to the Secretariat will be determined on an individual basis by the Board in consultation with the Director of Secretariat Services.

 

      2.   The Director of Secretariat Services will provide access for Board staff to centralized services used by Secretariat staff and required by Board staff to conduct its work.  For instance, staff of the Board will use printing, mail and courier services, french language services, communications branch services, and any other services provided by the City that are required by the Board to conduct its work. 

 

 

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      3.   The Director of Secretariat Services will provide back-up staff from the Council and Committee Services Branch for the Board when its staff are on annual leave or sick leave to ensure core functions continue to be provided; i.e. preparing and distributing agendas, attending Board meetings, and preparing minutes.  The Director will also permit staff of the Council and Committee Services Branch to work on infrequent special projects undertaken by the Board or the Board’s Executive Director (i.e. preparing for the annual conference of the Canadian Association of Police Boards), on a voluntary basis and provided their workloads allow.

 

4.   Expectations of the Board

 

      a)   For functional purposes, staff working for the Board will report directly to the Board.  For administrative matters such as human resource issues, the Board’s Executive Director will report directly to the Director of Secretariat Services.  Annual and sick leave for the Board’s Executive Director will be approved by the Director of Secretariat Services.  Annual and sick leave for other Board administrative staff will be approved by the Board’s Executive Director.

      b)   The Board will establish and monitor workplans for its staff, in consultation with the Director of Secretariat Services.

      c)   The Board will recruit and conduct performance appraisals for its senior staff in consultation with the Director of Secretariat Services, and will play a role in the recruitment and performance appraisals of administrative staff, in conjunction with its Executive Director.

      d)   Board staff will be physically located in the offices identified for the use of the Board in the new City of Ottawa.

      e)   The Board’s Executive Director will continue to serve as Executive Director to the Canadian Association of Police Boards, and to utilize City of Ottawa services on a cost-recovery basis.

      f)    Funds associated with the salary and benefits of Board staff will be charged back to the Board.

      g)   The Board will utilize policies and procedures similar to those used by the Council and Committee Services Branch for secretariat functions such as agenda building and distribution, minute and report preparation, et cetera.  Primary responsibility for the creation and maintenance of these policies, procedures and tools rests with Secretariat Services.  The Board reserves the right to adapt these policies and procedures to meet the needs of the Police Service. 

      h)   The Board will utilize standard City financial procedures for areas such as procurement of goods and services and accounts payable and receivable.  Responsibility for the creation and maintenance of these policies, procedures and tools rests with the Financial Services Branch of the City of Ottawa.

     


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5.   Resolution of Service Issues

 

      If a service issue arises, it should be discussed first by the Director of Secretariat Services and the Executive Director of the Board.  If either party is not satisfied with the outcome of these discussions, the Director of Secretariat Services will discuss the issue with the Chair of the Board.  The Board Chair, or the Board as a whole if appropriate, will make the final decision on any unresolved issues.

 

6.   Review Process

 

      This agreement will be in effect for a one-year period starting 1 January 2001 and will be reviewed annually.  Both parties may make changes under mutual consent at any time during the year.

 

7.   Key Contacts

 

      The key contact for Secretariat Services will be the Director of Secretariat Services / City Clerk.  The key contact for the Board will be the Board’s Executive Director.

 

 

Secretariat Services:                                                 Ottawa Police Services Board:

 

 

 

_____________________________                          ______________________________

Director                                                                        Chair

Secretariat Services                                                      Ottawa Police Services Board

 

Date _________________________                          Date __________________________

 

 

 

 

_____________________________

General Manager

Corporate Services

 

Date _________________________