Georgian Bluffs town hall, left, and Owen City Hall, right. (Bayshore Broadcasting file photos)
Georgian Bluffs could try out a new pilot to have its building services handled by the city of Owen Sound.
Township council will discuss a report at its committee of the whole meeting Wednesday evening from Chief Administrative Officer Niall Lobley that recommends Georgian Bluffs enter into a shared service model with Owen Sound for building services.
Lobley’s report says the township’s building services team was left unstaffed recently and a third-party service — RSM Building Consultants — has been ensuring Georgian Bluffs’ building services continue uninterrupted.
He says the constraints on staffing at the township are expected to continue for much of 2024, and some discussions with Owen Sound revealed the city has the capacity to provide some support to the township’s building services.
“There is an opportunity to explore, as a pilot, if building services could be delivered as a shared service between Owen Sound and the township,” Lobley explains.
Last year, nearly 300 building permits were issued in Georgian Bluffs for a variety of projects including new buildings, septic systems, pools, decks, and commercial and agricultural developments.
Lobley’s report says an agreement between the township and city would establish a rate Georgian Bluffs would pay for building services.
Nothing has been passed by either municipality’s council yet.
Owen Sound council will be receiving a staff report about the proposal at its next meeting April 15.
City manager Tim Simmonds says it’s premature to share specifics about the potential pilot, but a mutually agreed memorandum of understanding would be required to undertake the services. He says the MOU would outline the cost of the service, and define the services the city is providing to Georgian Bluffs.
“Any services provided will be charged appropriately,” Simmonds says in an email. “Discussions between city staff and township staff made it very clear that Owen Sound Building Services can process requests, answer queries, and issue permits and inspections within reasonable and regulated timelines and have the current capacity to do this.”