Calgary committee backs $150K ward office furniture purchase despite “bad optics”

Calgary city councillors voted to spend $150,000 of taxpayer money on new office furniture for their ward offices at Historic City Hall, brushing aside warnings that the move would anger the public.

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Calgary city councillors voted to spend $150,000 of taxpayer money on new office furniture for their ward offices at Historic City Hall, brushing aside warnings that the move would anger the public.

The committee voted 4–2 to recommend that council approve purchasing a standardized furniture suite for all 14 councillors’ offices. The city’s facilities operating budget would fund the cost. The decision still requires ratification at a future regular council meeting.

The final vote saw Councillors Myke Atkinson, Kim Tyers, Rob Ward, and Jennifer Wyness vote in favour. Councillors Raj Dhaliwal and Dan McLean voted against. Councillor Andre Chabot was absent from the vote.

Despite being listed as a member of the Council Services Committee, Mayor Jeromy Farkas was neither present nor listed as an absentee on the vote.

Administration told councillors the proposal stems from the aging condition of existing furniture, some of which dates back decades, and from the city’s obligation to meet ergonomic health and safety standards. The standardized suites are expected to last between 20 and 25 years.

Introducing the item, Susan Robinson, the city’s manager of building infrastructure, explained the rationale behind the proposal.

“Standardized furniture simplifies maintenance and repairs and improves turnaround times,” Robinson said. “It enables flexibility to move or relocate furniture as needed to support building maintenance activities or emergencies.”

Robinson said the $150,000 price tag would cover all 14 offices, with delivery expected roughly 14 weeks after approval. She added that councillors who prefer to keep their existing furniture would not be forced to replace it, with unused new furniture placed into storage for future use.

While the offices were quoted to cost $150,000 for all 14 wards, or just over $10,700 per ward, the city also listed some alternative options. Some of the options listed included office furniture sets costing up to $40,000, $6,267 sofas, $3,910 lounge chairs and more.

Councillor Dan McLean, who voted against the recommendation alongside Councillor Raj Dhaliwal, said the issue was not replacing worn-out furniture but how the expense would be perceived by taxpayers.

“I think the public is looking at the optics,” McLean said. “The taxpayer is always very, very diligent on watching what we do.”

McLean noted that when he was first elected, he furnished his office for about $4,000 by shopping around, and argued the existing process already allows councillors to replace furniture when necessary.

“I’m not in favour of this,” he said. “I think it looks terrible. And I think it’s a lot of money.”

The city administration confirmed that it had a contract with McCrum’s Office Furnishings. The administrator added that they provide industrial furniture, which generally costs more but includes a lifetime warranty that covers repairs, maintenance, and other related expenses during the furniture’s lifetime.

The city staff explained that the company has provided discounts of between 44 and 77 per cent.

Councillor Ward confirmed with the administration that this would allegedly result in “cost savings long term.”

“I never love spending $10,000 on an office,” Ward said. “But if we’re at lifecycle and this is going to provide savings long term, I think it’s a good move.”

Councillor Jennifer Wyness echoed that assessment, pointing to the uneven state of current offices.

“Buying new office furniture every four years is not fiscally responsible,” Wyness said. “I’m in support of this and like the long-term planning, one-time spend.”

City administration said the goal was to “provide a standard and equitable suite for all councillors’ offices to ensure compliance with corporate ergonomic obligations for health and safety.”

McLean was similarly critical of the equitable aspect, arguing that every councillor is different and might prefer different furniture. He argued that the old process of going through the clerk’s office to purchase furniture was better.

Councillor Rob Ward said his background in office furnishings shaped his view of the proposal.

If approved by full council, the standardized furniture would remain city property and be reused by future councillors occupying the offices.