Annual Report - Corporate Services
Due to the nature of its day-to-day work, Corporate Services may not be well known to members of the public, but the department provides support to the rest of the organization to be successful in its services and projects.
As the money managers for Brazeau County, Corporate Services oversees the preparation and presentation of the annual budget. Recognizing the challenging economic climate across Alberta and here in Brazeau County last year, Corporate Services worked with all departments to present a 2016 Annual Budget that included cost reductions in all departments’ operating budgets, while maintaining service levels for residents. That budget was based on maintaining municipal tax rates. Brazeau County Council granted a 40% municipal tax rebate to commercial property owners in 2016 and our taxation and assessment and front line staff were kept busy answering questions and processing those rebates.
Our customer service representatives are the most visible of the Corporate Services staff, as they assist callers on the phone and greet visitors to our administration office. Brazeau County places a high importance on personal customer service and our front line staff are dedicated to connecting our residents, businesses and visitors with the services they need.
Corporate Services is also home to Brazeau County’s Municipal Grants Co-coordinator. Not only does the grants coordinator access grant funding for Brazeau County, but also works with community organizations to find appropriate grants and assist in the application process. In 2016 the grants coordinator continued to engage with groups and organizations.
The majority of work by staff in Corporate Services takes place in the background of the organization. Other than yearly tax notices, residents may be unaware of the many functions staff in the department fulfill. However, that work provides the backbone to the organization, allowing other departments to carry out their operations effectively.
Accounts payable, receivables and payroll staff are vital to making sure the County runs smoothly by taking care of some of the most important, and often unacknowledged, processes by paying invoices, paying staff and invoicing for services and projects.
In 2016 the records management and legislative services coordinator completed the implementation of a new internal system that will improve Brazeau County’s legislated record management and transition staff to a more streamlined process.
Also working behind the scenes to give staff the tools they need to serve residents, businesses and visitors in Brazeau County is the IT (information technology) and GIS (geographical information system) mapping staff. Keeping up-to-date and implementing current technology and quality electronic programs and systems in the County is imperative to operation of a modern municipality. In addition to providing mapping services for internal departments and customers, GIS also provides support to every department with the abundance of data collected to help daily operations.
