Around city hall

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This article was published 22/05/2024 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Council asked to approve new CFO

The City of Winnipeg appears ready to hire a new chief financial officer.

The executive policy committee voted Wednesday to appoint Tracy Graham to the role, effective May 31, pending council approval.

The motion notes current CFO Catherine Kloepfer will retire by the same date.

Council is expected to cast the final vote on the matter May 30.

Proposal on legal settlements delayed

A proposal to significantly hike the dollar value of legal claims senior City of Winnipeg staff can settle appears set for a delay.

On Wednesday, council’s executive policy committee postponed its vote on the matter for up to 60 days, though council will have the final say.

The proposal recommends changes that would enable public servants to settle more claims made by or against the city, with a goal to speed up the process and save money.

If city council approves the proposal, the city solicitor would be granted the power to approve settlements worth up to $100,000 (increased from $10,000). The CFO could approve settlements up to $250,000 (increased from $100,000), the chief administrative officer could handle those up to $500,000 (up from $100,000) and the executive policy committee could decide on settlements up to $750,000 (up from $250,000.)

City council approval would be required to settle claims worth more than $750,000, tripling the current $250,000 threshold.

‘Hope alley’ decision delayed

Options to spruce up a section of Henry Avenue that is known to attract vulnerable people won’t be approved just yet.

Council’s executive policy committee, which has final say on the matter, voted to delay its decision on the ideas until next month, with some councillors suggesting there’s too little information about what the changes would cost.

A staff report lists potential changes for the section of road with the honorary name ‘Hope Alley’ but makes no specific recommendations and provides only rough cost ranges for potential features at Main Street and Henry Avenue.

The report suggests a mural could cost from $25 to $80 per square foot, canopies could cost between $240,000 and $300,000, landscaping could run from $200,000 to $350,000 and an archway could cost $195,000 to $750,000.