Council ponders HRM job cuts

Job losses are possible as the Halifax Regional Municipality grapples with a $30-million budget shorfall, the mayor says.

Peter Kelly issued the warning Tuesday after a tense discussion with municipal officials. Their debate started in public but ended up behind closed doors.

"Workforce adjustments are sometimes a reality," Kelly said after the meeting. "However, this is a last resort for council and we will be sensitive."

Regional council has been told it needs to find $30 million to balance this year's budget. Staff recommend cutting some services and raising a number of fines and fees.

As the discussion got underway Tuesday morning, council heard that staff salaries and benefits account for about half of the operating budget.

The HRM's head administrator chastised councillors over the possibility of staff cuts.

"I deserve better, my team deserves better, this organization deserves better," said Dan English, the HRM's chief administrative officer.

Cathy Mullally, HRM's director of human resources, said it's been a difficult time.

"Our workplace is becoming stressed, anxious and in some cases resentful," said Mullally.

Kelly and English released a joint statement Tuesday night saying council and staff are committed to finding a solution to the municipality's money challenges.

6 visitor centres closed

Regional council followed a staff recommendation and voted to close six visitor information centres: three in downtown Halifax and one each in Bedford, Dartmouth and Lower Sackville.

Municipal staff said the number of tourist visits is dropping and that closing the six centres would save about $266,000 a year.

 Kelly said the kiosks are not as important now because of the popularity of smartphones.

"With the new technology, your phones or the smartphones, you just plug in where you want to go and what you want to do [and] it comes up on screen," said Kelly.

Coun. Russell Walker opposed the closure of the centres, particularly the one where cruise ships dock.

"There are 120 cruise ships coming in, and it was used by 30,000 people," Walker said of the waterfront kiosk. "And if you want information about coming back to visit Halifax again, it's the time to promote HRM."

Municipal staff said if the centres are really missed, the private sector or the province should step in and offer the service.