A warning to Oro-Medonte council from the township’s chief financial officer that a lack of labour “could potentially hinder" its ability to adequately serve stakeholders and meet the growing demands of the community has now been heard.
With nary a comment or question at Wednesday afternoon's meeting, members of council unanimously approved the request of up to $75,000 from Nelly Morrow to hire KPMG to complete the township’s financial services review.
In her report requesting the funding, Morrow told council that the township’s current resource limitation and the need to address an action plan quickly are the driving forces behind the request.
“To further support the finance department in addressing current and future needs, a holistic review and strategy is recommended,” she said.
KPMG was recommended by Morrow because the firm has extensive experience and a full understanding of the township.
According to Morrow, the challenges include finding and retaining staff, increased legislative requirements and a more complex operating environment.
Morrow said the financial services portfolio is the backbone of the township and plays a critical role in providing legislated and core financial management relating to more than a dozen areas. These include budget and management, revenue collection, financial reporting and compliance, expenditure oversight, asset and capital management, debt management, grant management, investment management, risk management, procurement and customer service.
