Capital Budget '10/11: library, PW & public property
Tonight's meeting began with the library. They're requesting $200,000 (+$100k in state & private grant money) for an RFID system (approx. $120,000) and new furniture / interior design work ($180,000).
The project was being billed as a means to alleviate an increasing workload being placed on fewer staff. I said I like the idea as it was explained, but asked for a related operating budget... increased maintenance / equipment costs and decreased staff hours... which I hope would happen through natural attrition.
We then moved onto public works. We discussed town trucks and viewed this one:
I noted that the $385,000 request for trucks would go to referendum... and I'm not sure it would pass this year.
Sidewalks got discussed for a while, including an explanation of the time required to negotiate the construction of a sidewalk on Higgins Road -- between Towpath and the linear trail. The question was asked how such sidewalk requests come to be. I offered that this particular stretch of sidewalk was partly my request. I've had several moms mention to me the danger of taking a stroller from Towpath to the linear trail. And it was always a stretch that made me uncomfortable while I'm knocking on doors, so I could easily relate. Anyway, if you're driving Higgins... take notice of where the stonewall sits and consider how you walk that stretch. It's not safe. Plus, it would complete a full loop stretching the trail to N. Brooksvale to Towpath to Higgins. And that would be nice.
And though it wasn't on the agenda... since we have funds for sidewalks and roads, I asked if it would be worthwhile to create a fund for drainage issues. But the PW Director suggested his operating budget is sufficient for covering drainage issues... so now I guess we have enough money to remediate the flooding on North Brooksvale at the end of Avon Boulevard and the perpetually overgrown and clogged culvert between Fawn and Forest... yay! Yeah, right. I don't think so. But I'll continue to push on both fronts.
Last we covered the Town's public properties. As I've been mentioning, I repeated my request that staff give the Council a logical plan of action and timeline to move forward on the Town's RFP for Energy & Envelope issues. Unfortunately, it appears there's really no way to responsibly fast track the RFP process so that it could be sent to referendum for the November ballot. In turn, if we get responses in late September or October (too late for the November ballot)... could the Town wait until November 2011 for a multi-million dollar referendum? Would the contractors hold their price? I doubt it. Or maybe we could hold a special referendum? I'm not sure. Again though, my concern is simply ensuring the timing of this RFP is on the Council's radar... along with making sure the schools are gathering their thoughts in the same manner that I've requested of town staff... just gotta make sure the timing makes sense.
The last interesting discussion point tonight related to the linear trail. It's possible that the Town could use two different grants ($320k & $250k) for any section of the rail trail. So maybe something will happen... though I'm not interested in spending too many property tax dollars on the trail this year.
That's about it. Next capital budget meeting is with the schools in two weeks on August 11. Next Council meeting is on August 10. So probably not much happening for the next two weeks... though I've got lots of capital budget details and thoughts to post.
Thought for the day -- $1,000,000 for open space this November? I like our open space, but I'm not particularly inclined to support it... not in this economy.
Tim White
20 comments:
Impressive ploy on the public works part - show off the spare truck that is only used to plow when other trucks break down or roll over and is used to do work that can cause damage to a truck.
For the minimal amount of work these trucks do, we should be getting 20 years out of them. I have to assume that the trucks are assigned to drivers (hense the names on the doors). Has the council reviewed the maintenance records to see if any driver is abusing his truck more than others? We should consider closer watch of the operators to make sure these $100,000 tools are being cared for
I know some would like to see public works using its first Model T pickup but that's not practical. The assumtion is these trucks never get used, or they're operated and maintained by morons. This is untrue and very unfair.
Whether the TC decides that 2 trucks should be replaced this year or not this truck is in poor shape, safe to drive but expensive to repair. The dump body has been replaced 3 times. Salt and the chemicals now applied to our roads does a job on the trucks also.
Each truck has a GPS devise so its use is monitored by management. Maintenence records are not scrutinized by TC members but the vehicles are maintained by paid town staff and they have records.
There is also a replacemnet schedule but budget constraints get in the way of that planning. To clear the towns 151 miles of roads we use all 13 trucks for a 6" plus snow storm (unless one is down and we were told this happens).
No doubt you have put 200,000 miles on your newest car but you're not plowing roads or moving dirt around either. Show a little respect for people. No one wants to waste money but we can't replace 6 trucks in a year either.
Tim Slocum
"Show a little respect for people."
You need to listen to your own advice as you come across very pompous, arrogant at times, and not interested in what your constituents have to say not just here but also during TC meetings. Remember, this town voted out a prior TC member because not only was she incapable of listening to the taxpayers needs but insisted on reprimanding taxpayers about respect. That loss is a result of not heeding one's own advice.
Now you say town management monitors the GPS devices installed in each of the trucks. Can you prove it? Because I'd like to respectfully know what a town truck was doing traveling down Wolcott Rd in Wolcott at 5pm in the afternoon. Are town employees allowed to use town-owned vehicles for personal use such as driving to/from work?
How many incidents, if any, were town personnel caught with town-owned vehicles outside of the town boundaries and/or for personal use? Is there a policy/process that town management uses to monitor the GPS devices? Are periodic reports generated and reviewed by appropriate staff? Has the TC actually seen these reports firsthand?
Respectfully submitted.
At 151 miles, the trucks are covering about 11.5 miles each. Not a totally unrealistic amount of distance to plow multiple times per storm. But as stated in the Herald, the truck left at town hall is a spare and does not get used unless a plow truck breaks. I saw it today with a chip box on it. Which is it, a death trap that should not be on the road or is it safe enough to keep around for dirty jobs that may damage new trucks? Maybe we should keep an old truck for a spare to make the drivers think about protecting and maintaining their equipment or they get that!
4:30 PM
Pompous...never felt that way and sorry for coming across that way ever so I pass on my regrets on that one. Opinions I do have and those I seldom hide, which carries some risks.
Take home vehicles are limited to a handful of town personnel, PD / Fire / PW director and some other I can't recall. The Town Manager has an allowance but uses his own car. Town personnel do have to go out of town on town business from time to time. They get mileage and/or use of a town vehicle in the course of their duty. TC has monitored gas reports, etc. Regarding your Wolcott Rd observation, Rt 322 ties into Byam and some other Cheshire Streets so this does not seem like a shocking observation although 5:00 is late.I'll have to check that out further. Cheshire Fire, Police and Public works have to leave Cheshire to get to Birch Drive.
We can squeeze more waste out of every dept and we have let all of the town depts know the TC and the public has high expectations of them. I know town staff gets this.
Your comments are important as they help us hone that message but we all have to take responsibility for what we say and how we say it. Some say you get more with honey than vinegar. Maybe not all the time but its a better place to start.
Tim Slocum
Unfortunately, most take home vehicles do not have GPS on them. Coincidence, I think not!
Why does the director need another new truck so soon? He just got 1 a few years ago and he does not plow with it. Is it because of high mileage from living out of town? If thats the case, maybe he should leave the truck in the yard to keep the miles down. Private companies keep trucks on the road for longer periods and for more miles so why cant we? Unless I was seeing things, truck 23 is a spare as there is a new truck 23 driving around town. They do not need a new spare truck.
Unfortunately, most take home vehicles do not have GPS on them. Coincidence, I think not!
I don't recall the exact words spoken, but I recall a budget meeting last year (maybe two years ago) in which staff explained PW trucks had gotten GPS, but GPS wasn't necessary on other vehicles.
I almost burst out laughing at the absurdity of the recommendation.
How is it possible that all of you "experts" in fleet maintenance, public administration, and risk management have not been hired by municipalities and the like? Leave the decisions to the people who have been trained to make the decisions. "One time, I saw a public works truck plowing out the Casino driveway......" Sometimes local trucks/personnel are required to go beyond the borders of the Shire.
"How is it possible that all of you "experts" in fleet maintenance, public administration, and risk management have not been hired by municipalities and the like?"
You assume too much...
"Sometimes local trucks/personnel are required to go beyond the borders of the Shire."
Yes plowing one's driveway on Town time is certainly one reason. Using town equipment for side work is another. It's only a short matter of time before they're caught.
a short matter of time before they're caught. - dont be vague. If you have facts or particulars bring them to light. Otherwise, stop make veiled statements besmerching the employee pool here in town. Making statements like that is irresponsible. If it is fact make a formal complaint and let it be vetted. Too many people in this town make statements like yours "public works doing side jobs, town employees abusing thier take home vehicle privledge, etc". Put up or shut up, WITH FACTS
a short matter of time before they're caught. - dont be vague. If you have facts or particulars bring them to light. Otherwise, stop make veiled statements besmerching the employee pool here in town. Making statements like that is irresponsible. If it is fact make a formal complaint and let it be vetted. Too many people in this town make statements like yours "public works doing side jobs, town employees abusing thier take home vehicle privledge, etc". Put up or shut up, WITH FACTS
"Put up or shut up, WITH FACTS"
What a marvelous idea. Maybe those who write budget requests year in and year out should follow it for a change too.
"those who write budget requests year in and year out" BLAH BLAH BLAH. Can you provide specifics again? This blog is nothing more than fantasy fodder. We might as well be debating the existence of UFO's, or people who are "in tune with nature" and can predict earthquakes. Veiled statements are ignorant. Can you show, with dispute, any of the facts that you allege?
"Can you show, with dispute, any of the facts that you allege?"
Wow...so defensive...seems 10:27 may be on to something. Can you prove that any of the transgression mentioned by 10:27 are NOT true?
I would also have trouble proving the existence of leprechans, aliens, or magic. Because there is no proof. I could just as easily assume that Public Works employees are all Soviet spies. Are you serious? If youre going to make an accusation it should be responsible and based in fact. I am defensive because I am sick of the irresponsible posts alleging misconduct with no facts. Give me your profession and I can do the same.
"...BLAH BLAH BLAH....Can you show, with dispute, any of the facts that you allege?..."
My, my we are really touchy this day!
Here's a less than novel thought for you while our town once again wraps up it annual dog and pony budget show complete with poorly done PP presentations. You can't miss it, seems town management, both elected and employed must spend about 1/2 a year every year working up to and finalizing these short term and long term various budgets. Such an amazing effort goes into it all.
In the end just go take a look at one of the towns modern marvels, the town pool at Bartlem. All that budgetary effort, all that referendum effort, all those PP slide shows, all those after-the-fact golly-gee what do we do now because it ain't working right meetings. It is all so entertaining. It's enough to make a person think twice about selling their property and moving I guess.
I'll stop now at the pool. It has taken so much energy and it's just one little effort which has been budgeted, re-budgeted, worked and reworked but alas it still doesn't work right except as far as the gas company is concerned, they struck pay dirt when the gas line got connected to that place. And on top of all that someone is claiming unused public works snow plows are plowing one of the casino parking lots, wow!
town once again wraps up it annual dog and pony budget show - THEN GET OFF YOUR ASS AND GET IN THE GAME. Throwing barbs isnt helping. What have you done to effect change? What board have you sat on? What expert background can you lend to the situation. Leave your name and Ill vote for you
"Throwing barbs isnt helping."
It is scary to think that whoever you are believes that anytime anyone anonymously states some facts you come back concerned about throwing barbs. There are at least a few in this town who may not really want to assess town government and then make needed improvement on a time frame shorter then geologic. We have the pool at one end of town and the never happy police department on the other with our town hall right in the middle. The town did get something right by locating management right in the middle!
Being asked to prove something is not true is a clever trick. Call dead victims of a tragic murdering rampage racists and this charge is hard to disprove, they're dead and the charge has been made.
Declaring you saw a town truck plowing a casino driveway is an interesting charge but is the foundation of your claim based on the color of the truck or your level of intoxication as you enter the highway headed for the town you so love to hate.
Join the inept that so try your patience as they craft a budget for the town. Call them names, say they don't know what they're doing. Some of it will stick and some of it may even be a true but your level of scorn is really very sad. And that is a charge that has already been associated with you by anyone that knows you as you ply your miserable existance from 6:30 AM until your poop time that evening.
Have a nice day!
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