With about six months left to go in his job as commander of CFB Esquimalt, navy Capt. Craig Baines is focused on checking off a number of items on his to-do list.
B次元官网网址淲e kind of joke with the other municipalities that weB次元官网网址檙e the 14th municipality in a sense and I think itB次元官网网址檚 a good metaphor to say that IB次元官网网址檓 the mayor of that municipality,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淢y responsibilities are very similar, actually.B次元官网网址�
Base commanders typically serve for two years, before being assigned to another position elsewhere. Baines hasnB次元官网网址檛 received his official message yet, telling him when or where his next challenge will be.
The 44-year-old Esquimalt resident heads over to the large desk in his office and taps at his keyboard to access the schedule on his computer.
Baines divides his time between meeting with mayors, base union officials and external organizations such as the United Way of Greater Victoria and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, among others.
In addition to being in charge of base security B次元官网网址� the base was the final destination of the migrant ship MV Sun Sea that arrived carrying hundreds of Tamils in 2010 B次元官网网址� and being the ultimate authority in employee disciplinary action, he also regularly meets with a team of officers who lead different departments at the base.
With their input, Baines prioritizes where 1,000 civilian employees are best employed, and how best to spend the baseB次元官网网址檚 $130-million annual budget. He also leads 1,500 military members.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been grappling with managing our workforce to the appropriate levels,B次元官网网址� he says, adding that though a lot of strategic change is coming, no announcement has been made.
Until then, one of BainesB次元官网网址� priorities is to B次元官网网址渓ive within our means,B次元官网网址� despite the challenge that involves, as well as ensuring the well-being of the 1,000 civilians and 1,500 military members B次元官网网址� not counting fleet personnel B次元官网网址� under his command.
With them in mind, the commander hopes to sign a contract in January for a coffee company to set up shop at Nelles Block in April, where many junior non-commissioned members live.
The creation of a gathering place, which the coffee drinker says he plans to visit daily, is meant to improve quality of life for those working on the Naden side of the base. There is already a canteen at dockyard.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a meeting place,B次元官网网址� Baines says.
His team is also putting the finishing touches on a new online hub, a groundbreaking website believed to be the first of its kind for the Canadian Forces.
The internal communications portal will allow civilian employees and military personnel to post their ideas and feedback on issues and changes at the base.
The website, called B次元官网网址淥ur Base,B次元官网网址� is set to launch the first week of January, and will feature the base commanderB次元官网网址檚 blog, a comic, new initiatives spawned from membersB次元官网网址� ideas, a link to the base newspaper and videos, among other features.
Baines is looking forward to reading comments, which can be immediately posted with a name or vetted and eventually posted if sent anonymously.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of times the people who are actually doing the work have great ideas on how to do that work better,B次元官网网址� Baines says. B次元官网网址淏ut because we are in a hierarchical system, it is sometimes difficult for them to get those ideas to the decision makers.B次元官网网址�
One of his objectives since his term began in 2010 has been to create a climate in which those ideas are encouraged and put into practice.
B次元官网网址淢ost of the time we communicate to people,B次元官网网址� Baines says. B次元官网网址淲hat we want to do is communicate with people. When you have 2,500 people working for you itB次元官网网址檚 hard to do that.B次元官网网址�
The web portal will allow the commander to explain decisions, such as why staffing positions may be filled in certain units over others, for example.
B次元官网网址淣ot all those decisions will be supported, not all those decisions will make people happy,B次元官网网址� Baines says. B次元官网网址淏ut my belief is if you can provide people with context and let them understand the B次元官网网址榳hyB次元官网网址� behind this stuff, itB次元官网网址檚 much better than trying to impose change without explaining it.B次元官网网址�
Check out www.vicnews.com to watch a video that accompanies this story.
