The Regional District of Central Kootenay has deferred the second phase of its organizational review, removing the $100,000 budget from the 2026–30 financial plan.
Phase one work, however, will continue, with staff committed to addressing the initial recommendations from the consultants’ report.
The organizational assessment, conducted by Samson Consultants in 2025, outlined seven near-term recommendations for governance and administration improvements. It also included a phase two roadmap for more in-depth structural and strategic challenges.
Board members voted in favour of deferring phase two at the March 19 meeting. Electoral Area F Director Tom Newell opposed the delay, saying it could stall progress.
“I think there was momentum and I think with the momentum, it’s a mistake to pause that process over $100,000, which is a lot of money, but the consultants were ready to take the next phase on because they were saying, ‘you guys, you have a governance issue and we have people here that have been around the table that could help with the next step’,” he said.
Chief administrative officer Stuart Horn assured board members that internal work would continue.
“We are resourced to move those along. We are resourced for some of the external advice that we might need to get, including legal advice on some of those items that we’re going to move forward. That’s all part of what is considered,” said Horn.
Staff are prioritizing phase one initiatives, including implementing a formal organization-wide prioritization framework, updating delegation authority, strengthening senior management team (SMT) governance, centralizing procurement and reviewing communication strategies.
Phase two projects, including SMT structural alignment, board governance, portfolio management and legacy system improvements, will be reviewed in 2026.
A report on the preferred approach – whether internally with additional HR support or externally through a consultant – will return to the board in the fall of 2026, including proposed costs and timelines.
Area I Director Andy Davidoff emphasized that delaying phase two from the budget doesn’t mean abandoning it entirely.
“We’re not ready to assign the dollar value to the next phase of work. And until we internally figure out exactly what we need, what we can do internally, and then what we need consultants to help us with, we will arrive at a number for the next phase,” he explained.
“We’re not abandoning phase two by removing it from this budget. And we will know better for next year’s budget what this number should be.”
The board directed staff to develop a work plan and budget for phase two, which will be reported back in the fall of 2026, including proposed costs and timelines.
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