ERRRT and the Engineering Frests & Range - A Review

Transcription

1 Ministry f Frests and Range (MFR) Engineering Rles and Respnsibilities Review Team (ERRRT) Cnference Call Minutes February 5, 2008 ERRRT Missin Statement: Engineering the future by building n the past. Facilitated and prepared by: Recalibrate.cm

2 Call began at 10:30 am February 5, 2008 ERRRT Cnference Call Minutes & Actins Attendees: Les Thiessen RsaAnne Hwell Andrew Davies Brian Chw Gene MacInnes Rick Hardy (regrets) Knut Herzg Dan Rbek Brent Case Jsh Pressey Dave Rebagliati Facilitatrs: Jhn Mallett & Lisa Mallett 1. Cnfirmed agenda (Jhn Mallett t manage the call n behalf f Les Thiessen, ERRRT Chair). 2. Reviewed and apprved ERRRT Meeting 5 January 2008 Minutes & Executive Summary. 3. Updated ERRRT n Feb. 1 st Steering Cmmittee cnference call (attended by facilitatrs, Les Thiessen and Brent Case). Main pints include: OLT expects a reprt frm ERRRT fllwing meeting #6, and befre the ERRRT s draft reprt ges t the Cmmunity f Practice at the Prvincial Engineering Meeting (PEM). (It has since been rganized by Vern Quarni that ERRRT Chair Les Thiessen will present t OLT n February 20 th, supprted by Jhn Mallett). Fllwing PEM, the ERRRT draft reprt will get brader circulatin in MFR fr input and feedback, e.g., via distributin t District Managers fr their review. Due t the expectatins fr brader circulatin in MFR, ERRRT was asked t schedule anther meeting (beynd the PEM) in rder t incrprate the rest f the feedback and finalize its reprt. The final ERRRT meeting is scheduled fr March 26 and 27, 2008 in Richmnd, BC (likely the Best Western Richmnd Inn). The need fr ERRRT t fully develp and articulate the aspects f knwledgeable wner and what cnstitutes the practice f engineering (B. Chw has lead). Cntinuing t wrk with BCTS re: cllabrating n managing participatin in the ERRRT segment f the Prvincial Engineering Meeting (PEM) n February 28 th. The need fr ERRRT s draft mdels t be built with a BCTS supprt cmpnent (i.e., build mdels that shw what the structure/services wuld lk like bth with and withut a BCTS supprt cmpnent). Lking at a BCTS fee fr service frm Ops Div mdel was briefly discussed; apparently is prblematic wuld be better t make a service centre dedicated t BCTS. In summary, all ERRRT mdels will include a versin that cnsiders BCTS. Need t add the issue f BCTS t the February ERRRT meeting agenda t articulate current issues and figure ut hw t make things wrk better crprately. ERRRT facilitatrs shared with the Steering Cmmittee sme f the themes arising frm ERRRT s wrk t date. Fr example, f significant cncern t the Engineering Prgram is the ersin f the prfessinal pl f engineers, due nt nly t difficulties in recruitment, but als due t ministry managers selecting RPFs fr designated LSO3 and ERRRT Cnference Call Minutes February 5,

3 LSO4 engineering psitins (Nte: this issue arises in varying degrees arund the Cast and Nrthern Interir Frest Regins and at Branch, whereas the Suthern Interir Frest Regin seems t manage in ways that have been mre successful in preserving the engineering fcus and functin). This led t a mre detailed discussin n the ERRRT cnference call, and a summary f related issues fllws: Current functins and activities (and wh is technically respnsible/accuntable fr carrying ut thse activities) within BA5 are well dcumented and articulated. In fact, upn detailed review by ERRRT, there are few activities currently within the BA that are cnsidered expendable. Rather, ERRRT has determined there are functins/activities that need t be added t the BA, due t new initiatives and the fact that there is an verall decrease in frest industry rad use/capacity acrss the rad netwrk. Specific rles and respnsibilities (as dcumented within current jb descriptins and plicies and prcesses) are believed t be well articulated and cver current and mst future rles (ther than newly created activities within the RRA and Safety File). Hwever, even thugh the functins, activities and rles and respnsibilities are knwn and dcumented, there seems t be a lack f fcus/clarity/understanding n what the MFR engineering prgram s verall purpse and rle within the rganizatin and gvernment is. This lack f fcus/clarity/understanding seems t have created a tensin within the engineering cmmunity f practice. Specifically, tensin has been created because the fulfillment f thse engineering functins, activities, as well as prgram and individual respnsibilities, are heavily impacted by incnsistent persnal preferences f the staff, and varius management influences/prergatives respecting the handling f cmpeting pririties and funding pressures. Thse influences have led t a systemic lack f rigr with regard t carrying ut individual and prgram rles and respnsibilities, plicies and prcesses within engineering. Sme within the engineering cmmunity f practice believe the lack f rigr described abve cmes frm a misunderstanding f the inherent risks and respnsibilities entailed in the discipline and practice f engineering and, as such, MFR is n lnger an engineering knwledgeable wner (at districts/regins/branch/bcts) r, at the very least, is lsing its credibility in this area. Within the engineering cmmunity f practice there is felt t be a lack f clarity and understanding f engineering practices/risks thrughut ministry. This lack f clarity and understanding has created a systemic prblem that requires a refcusing f the engineering prgram. Sme f the issues include: Regins cnverting LSO 4 psitins (Reginal Engineering Officer) t fresters. District managers filling RO Engineering psitins with staff lacking engineering training, experience and cmpetencies. District managers requesting RO psitins carry ut nn engineering activities. (In areas where there may nt be a full engineering wrklad, this is likely t simply ensure full emplyment/use f staff. Hwever, it ccurs even where there is a full engineering wrklad; engineering staff as seen as capable and tend t get assigned t unrelated tasks, activities ERRRT Cnference Call Minutes February 5,

4 and respnsibilities that detract frm the prgram s fcus and purpse, and which d nt use the staff members specific expertise. Over time, this dilutes the engineering prgram fcus and impacts staff jb satisfactin. Apparent lack f mtivatin/innvatin t find ways t share engineering expertise/wrklad between regins (e.g. t deal better with the pint abve). Lack f capacity/flexibility t take n new engineering initiatives r respnd t wrklad spikes. Incnsistent use f specialized engineering expertise amng regins. Incnsistent supprt f BCTS prgram amng regins. Incnsistent training/mentring pprtunities amng engineering staff. Incnsistent applicatin f engineering manual/practices due t reginal/district/bcts pririties and lack f mtivatin t audit/mnitr. RFT implementatin nt prperly cnsidering engineering technlgist recruitment and retentin f staff issues. Lack f career pprtunities fr technical and prfessinal staff wishing t remain in engineering. Lack f recgnitin (cmpensatin) fr P. Engs with senir/expert engineering knwledge due t current reginal structure (e.g. ne LSO 4 per regin fr engineering - generalist), whereas reginal frester psitins are specialized, allwing fr mre than ne LSO 4 psitin fr Fresters (e.g., silviculture, timber, planning, C&E etc.). 4. Update t ERRRT n latest discussins with BCTS re: the PEM n Feb. 28 th. Based n discussins with BCTS, and BCTS cncerns that they need at least 1.5 hurs fr meeting n their wn n the afternn f Feb. 28 th t discuss BCTS-specific business, the facilitatrs and Brian Chw suggested the 3 hur ERRRT segment n Feb. 28 th be cnducted as fllws (t maximize inclusin f the engineering Cmmunity f Practice t the greatest extent pssible): 1:00 t 2:30 ERRRT verview f backgrund, prject impetus, the varius drivers f change and the analytical lenses applied, and a presentatin/explanatin f the draft ptins and recmmendatins. 2:30 2:50 Cffee break and rm changever, during which time BCTS has cffee and breaks ff int its wn sessin, and the rest f the participants have cffee, and we get ready fr the ERRRT break ut grup discussins t answer questins/cncerns and gather specific feedback/input. 2:50 4:30 Cmmunity f Practice (minus BCTS) engages in ERRRT wrkshp/feedback sessin. BCTS cnducts its wn separate business meeting. BCTS leadership has been asked t advise ERRRT hw they may wish t cmmunicate the purpse/level f invlvement f BCTS at the ERRRT segment f the PEM, as BCTS staff will nt be participating in the feedback sessin due t their separate meeting. ERRRT Cnference Call Minutes February 5,

5 NOTE: ERRRT wishes t encurage MFR Operatins Managers t attend the PEM and mst specifically the February 28 th ERRRT segment at PEM as the tpic will be f interest and relevance t them. 5. Task List Review Reviewed task assignment list and cnfirmed with ERRRT members what they needed t prepare and bring t the next meeting (mainly be prepared fr wrking n their csting spreadsheets and discussing the Auditr General s and Ombudsman s reprts). 6. Next Meeting Cnfirmed next ERRRT meeting is February 12 14, 2008, Skyview Pavilin at the Executive Airprt Plaza. Nn Telecnference call adjurned. ERRRT Cnference Call Minutes February 5,