Annual Report 2000 - Halifax Regional Municipality

The CAO’s
Message
“I am proud to say that we have reached financial stability and fiscal predictability
within a very short time. More importantly, we have set our financial course for the
future through our Multi-Year Financial Plan, and we will preserve and protect this
financial stability through our Business Planning Strategy. ”
— Ken Meech, Chief Administrative Officer
A s we enter the new
millennium, the
many challenges
that we faced as a
result of the
amalgamation are
behind us now and
we can look forward
with new confidence and
excitement.
For the past few years,
our primary goal has been
to ensure a seamless
transition of the delivery
of programs and services
from the four previous
municipal units to our
customers–the citizens of
the Halifax Regional
Municipality. I believe
that we have achieved that
end and have set standards
and service levels that are
not only appropriate, but
also acceptable, for the
many diverse communities
throughout our region.
Another major goal was
to put our financial house
in order and we, too, have
achieved this. I am proud
to say that we
have reached financial
stability and fiscal
predictability within a
very short time. More
importantly, we have set
our financial course for
the future through our
Multi-Year Financial Plan,
and we will preserve and
protect this financial
stability through our
Business Planning
Strategy. We have
implemented a very
aggressive Debt
Management Plan and
have adopted the “pay as
you go” principle for
Capital Projects.
We continue to receive
national and international
interest in our Solid Waste
Management Strategy,
with many municipal
officials visiting our stateof-the-art
facility at Otter
Lake. The municipality’s
next major capital project
is the $315 million
Harbour Solutions
Project. Construction is
expected to start in the
Spring of 2001 and when
completed and operating,
it will mark the first major
environmental saltwater
clean-up in the country.
Development of a
regional plan will be a
major focus for the next
few years. Citizens of the
municipality had the
opportunity to tell us the
kind of community they
would like to see in the
next two decades through
our recent Vision 20/20
exercise. It is my pleasure
to thank the Metropolitan
Halifax Chamber of
Commerce for its
tremendous co-operation
in this joint effort with
HRM.
Our economy is
booming now and we are
seeing unprecedented
growth. Economic
forecasts predict this will
continue for at least the
next decade and beyond.
Through the regional
planning process, we will
develop policy and
guidelines for such things
as: building new
infrastructure to meet
economic growth;
replacement of existing
systems; building a
transportation network for
the future and
determining ways to more
effectively manage growth.
We could not have
achieved any of our
accomplishments so far
without the efforts of our
highly-skilled professional
workforce. The work has
been hard and the
pressures have been great.
I would like to take this
opportunity to extend best
wishes to each and every
one of our employees and
say “thank you” for a job
well done.
Also, I would like to
extend our sincere thanks
to the citizens of Halifax
Regional Municipality.
With their continued
patience and support, we
will continue to strive for
excellence and make every
effort to preserve, protect
and improve our great
quality of life in the
Halifax Region.
Sincerely,
Ken Meech
8