Waterloo Region needs to hire more people to handle light rail transit and keep the project on track.
That's what regional staff are recommending in a report presented to the Planning and Works Committee.
Regional staff has outlined they will need seven full-time and four part-time permanent positions in place by early next year in order to meet the aggressive LRT timeline.
"It was not a shock to me when I saw this report" says Councillor Jim Wideman.
Staff says they need council to approve the motion if they want to stay on track and on budget.
"One of the things that is of my utmost concern is that we will be on time and on budget in this project if we are going to be those two things, we are going to have to get good staff and the best staff we can hire" adds Wideman.
According to Wideman, the region doesn't have anyone within the current roster of employees to fill those positions. Among them, a communications project engineer, real estate lawyer and manager of finance and controls.
At the meeting, Mayor Carl Zehr did ask if they could fill the positions with contract work.
"I am uncertain as to the need to those to be permanent positions. I am not denying the need for positions, it's the permanency that I am questioning."
Wideman says contract work won't attract top talent.
"We are not going to find them by posting we are looking for someone for three years."
The committee voted in favour of the recommendations, including Tom Galloway who earlier declared a conflict of interest.
Staff says they want to get all 11 people in place and in their roles by March of 2012 in order to prevent delays and stay on budget.
