Councillor Bill Farren’s proposal to put a hiring freeze for city staff in place this year as a way to deal with the deficit not getting any takers from around the council horseshoe.
After some discussion, council instead going with an amended motion to have regular reporting on hiring which Mayor Mel Norton believes reflects a confidence on the part of council in terms of where the city is headed.
He tells us the last hiring freeze was put in place at the height of the pension crisis, saying they were in an extremely stressed financial situation so that was something of a last resort.
City Manager Pat Woods says there is not any unnecessary hiring going on in the city of Saint John, pointing out that between 2008 and 2014 the city has reduced the number of permanent positions by 63.5 at an annual savings $5-7 million.
Farren says while it’s not really what he’s looking for it is a start. He says they have to have better control of what they’re doing, otherwise they’re “going to be sunk next year.”
