[Durham INC] budget woes

[Randy Pickle]

Last year the gap was $40M+ and we made it work. There is no reason why the
reduction (daily as it would seem) of the current budget can't be reached
without tax increases.

In responding to Kelly's' thoughts that employees should not be part of this
reduction, it just doesn't work that way. To alleviate a position that there
is no one in, really does not get rid of a real person, it just removes a
paper job. So no one really looses anything. Most of the jobs last year were
paper jobs. The City has 2503 (give or take a couple) current employees.
Certainly not all of them are classified as good or exceptional (per their
own departmental evaluations). Is it possible all those are all good or
exceptional? In talking to various departments, they are not. It's the under
performing employees that I generally think of when it comes to
terminations. Other than a body, they generally are not missed... Will they
miss the job? They would have too answer that. In some cases, I think we
could replace some further up the ladder that are ineffective managers. Fear
is a great motivator...

Sure times are tough for some. I have a neighbor that lost his job here and
currently works in NJ. His wife and family still live here and his hopes are
to get back here to work once the economy kicks back in gear. But reduction
in force (RIF; what the military calls it) is common even in good economic
times. It has a way of keeping everyone on their toes and not getting into
that comfort zone that long-term employees tend to get into. So a RIF will
be part of the budget-ends-meeting. It's the way budgets work; good times
and especially bad.

On my idea of reduction of the fleet: I now now that the info I found on the
City website is a bit misleading. There are roughly 2100 units in the fleet
of equipment, but some of it is not a vehicle. That 2100 number includes
mowers, tamps, etc and the vehicle fleet is a little over 1300. So that idea
won't fly. Plus Fleet has a computer program that tracks usage and if a
vehicle is not being used it flags it for removal from a particular
department. So what will the $1M Fleet was told it might get this budget
season buy? 40 police vehicles with a little left over... Not enough for a
fire truck or a new garbage truck... This finding a dollar here and a dollar
there gets tougher when you look at the needs. Each year Fleet does a
utilization assessment to see where units are needed (either new or
replacement). So Fleet is on top of it. They are currently applying for a
grant to pay for half some "green" hybrid vehicles to add to the mass. These
will help with fuel (and purchase price if they can get the grant). Durham
was selected last year as one of the top 40 greenest fleets in the nation
(we were #34). So it appears Fleet is doing all it can. Employee wise it has
had the same number for the last 21 years Even though the fleet unit
numbers have doubled (from 1100 21 years ago).

Katie Kalb said it best a couple of years ago. She said she has done so much
with so little for so long she can now do a whole lot with nothing. That's
what we're headed I guess.

Send me your ideas and we'll see where they go.

RWP
27 Beverly
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