City of Whitehorse job vacancies contributing to budget surplus

The City of Whitehorse is having a hard time attracting qualified staff and has the budget surplus to show for it. 

The city has a budget surplus of $1 million in department spending, much of that resulting from staff vacancies, council learned at Monday's meeting.

Valerie Anderson, city finance manager, says it's normal to have a few vacancies, but the current number is higher than usual with six departments short-staffed.

Councillor Betty Irwin wondered how that could impact operations. 

"We know that our staff are working very hard, doubling up in many cases," she said. "In the long term, I'm wondering what repercussions this will have on our services, if we continue to be so short of staff."

Anderson says services will suffer if staff aren't hired soon.

That goes for many departments. During a separate discussion at council, the city's manager of recreation and city services said pool services at the Canada Games Centre could be cut back if more money isn't allocated to it from the city's budget.

In regards to the staffing shortages, Anderson says each department is working with human resources in an attempt to find people.

She said her department is short four full-time employees at the moment.

"We are having a hard time attracting qualified applicants right now — it's a combination of education and experience that we need," she said.

"The city is growing and there are things that are at a higher, more complicated level within the finance department."

Anderson said she can't speak for other departments, but thinks there are two "key positions" to be filled in the bylaw department.

"What some departments may decide to do, if they can't find qualified staff... They may bring them on short term until they can find full time replacements."

CBC News has reached out to the city to find out why more of these positions aren't listed on the city's career web page, but it has not yet heard back.