"SUFFRAGETTE CITY" david bowie
The city manager presented the 2012-operating budget to council Saturday morning at the Morse Avenue Community Center.
Due to another commitment, I did not attend the presentation. Fellow POC members picked up paperwork and gave me their slant on the meeting.
I was told the city manager opened up the meeting by informing council this format would be the way the budget will be proposed. There would be NO line item budget…. This format will be the way the administration will present it.
When I go to work tomorrow, I will inform my superiors that the way I will do my job will be my way. This is the way I will do it, period. What do you think my chances of going to work on Tuesday will be? You have to love the public sector.
A positive change from previous presentations; the two new members along with council member Flock asked many important questions.
I have just had a chance to glance over the budget. As a resident, I already see a large problem. Our General Fund budget is $11,817,644.00 and 78.24% of that sum represents wages and benefits. I figure $9,200,000.00 plus or minus some loose change. (about $470.00 for every man, woman and child that lives here just for personnel). People, you cannot provide the services the city needs on $2.6 million a year. Do not tell me other cities are this high for wages. Yes, some of them might be and are probably in as bad or worse shape than us. On page 93 Painesville lists a schedule of Health Insurance; the city spends $3,182,000.00 a year on health insurance... that is over $9000.00 a year per employee. What percentage do employees pay? Hey, it's a new world out there… everyone has to pay the fiddler.
The city manager believes the administration needs a "pool" car for city officials to make trips to, say, Columbus. How many trips a year are made to Columbus? Maybe renting a car for these trips would be cheaper. Maybe we should buy a plane. The ‘Painesville One’.
The city manager claims she cannot find any source to cut the grass at the two cemeteries for less than $410,000 a year. Really? You must be looking for that service in the same place where you’re buying the finance directors new laptop for $2000.00. $22,000 to do a study on Tiber Creek. $30,000 for a new 60" lawnmower for the wastewater treatment plant. Does this budget have a ton of overrun built into it? That is what happens when you do not do a line item budget.
I am sure that as I reread this I will find many more questions to ask. Two things not mentioned; the Columbarium that a resident asked for at Riverside Cemetery and the Oak Street road improvement. Well, the city has set aside $150,000 for street improvement this year. Maybe the streets can hold a lottery.
The question remains how many council people can vote for this budget in its present form.
posted by terminator1 @ 11:14 AM
20 Comments
20 Comments:
The question is who will vote for an increase in tax or a levy.
I can not understand you or what you write here. You clearly see problems, point them out make small problems even bigger yet you have absolutly NO solutions do you?
It is very easy for you and your friends to sit around a computer and throw stones at everyone but you cannot and you never will accomplish nearly half of what any of these city employees, administrators or council people have done for their community.
http://theciviccommons.com/issues/efficient-government-network Was reading the paper and came across this. Think PVille could think about regionalization like Flock proposed with Grand River.. years ago? Sharing the services and getting grant support to ease the transition is a good avenue. Put pressure on the powers of the feudal state of Pville, if possible, maybe they might be convinced that it is their own idea and do some good for once.
summary of the plan
9 million from a state fund is open to government entities in OHIO (application deadline is March 1st 2012...
this is all an effect of the death tax repealed.. and the cities loosing revenue in the next year because of this tax code change.
I am sure the powers to be in the feudal state of Paine are all over this one.. time to go get some money to fund another study.
I drove on Oak street yesterday, I don't think its any worse than many other streets, I think Lexington and Taylor street are worse and maybe some others I haven't been on too
10:50 I'm sure that makes the people on Oak St. feel better. Both streets you mentioned are crap what's the solution?
4:17 When Painesville had the hospital money, Coe mmoney, Fasson office money. The city manager invested in expensive directors for department. I suggest eliminating some director positions, or a 15% across the board cut for all of them. Along with higher employee payment into the hospitalization program. The outscourcing of the cemetery.
What is our man power to electricity produced at the power plant? There are many areas to cut before you ask for a levy or a tax increase. Also I would make no cuts in safety forces at this time. I'm sure someone on council will bring that up.
AS far as the electrical department wages they should be in line with First Energy Not more and not less.Painesville weather and electricity is the same CEI faces.
You propose all these cuts but you are not willing to be content after they are done. Example, the roads cut there then have more pot holes to complain. Cut at the cemeteries then complain the graves are not being maintained. You want it both ways and that's not possible. And constantly going back in time "when" isn't going to fix things either.
Come up with some Logical solutions or give it up.
8:34 4:17 asked if I had any solutions so I gave some.
You really want me to believe no one will mow the two cemeteries for less then $400,000 a year?
outscourcing the lawnmowing isn't logical? Yet $30,000 lawnmowers and $2000 laptop are.
Now I have further conversations about the budget meetings, I want to thank Mike DeLeone for asking what "other" in the budget presentation was.
Tonight we will be voting on purchasimg 11+ acres of land for a new electric sub station. Do you have any idea what 11 acres looks like? Over 11 football fields? Why this large a purchase of property?
shouldnh't someone ask?
I guess another lawnmower is in our future.
I will be content when I start to see this city turnaround.
And I'm not told about comments from our city manager like "remember there are only 18 homes on Oak St."
the new council needs to look very close to the current spending. WE THE VOTERS NEED HELP WITH THE ROADS AND FLOODING CONCERNS, get the money FROM the operating cost. WAGES FOR ADMINISTRATION. COUNCIL THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE. council we need a better budget for 2012. 3million dollars for health insurance COME ON COUNCIL.
Tonight WE are voting? No, council is not you, we or us. Really? Who you think you are? Someone of importance would be sitting on council,helping to make a difference, not writing this stuff from your home computer.
You ask why 11 acres? That WAS explained, it's all or nothing. So if all isn't used the remainder "may" be sold off. You didn't mention that, just what you want us to read here.
We? Really... council votes and WE pay for there decisions. WE as all of us are on the hook. 12:04 I cannot think of a time when Painesville's administration has never made a good land deal.
No plans on selling it they need more storage space.
I'm typing this on my home computer and your reading it?
Warren Bennis:
The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
WE as in residents of the City of Painesville are the ones responsible for what council decides. You don't see Hada or Hach reaching into their pockets to pay Amp-Ohio do you?
WE pay for their mistakes.
Brian I will forward your proposal and email address to the city. Posting it here... well you might not want to do it.
I do agree that you could make a good living mowing grass for the city. I only wish the city manager realizes how misguided her cost of mowing cemeteries was? Yet this is the same person that proposes buying 61" lawnmowers at $30,000??
Good-Luck but I don't see her agreeing.
I'm with councilmen andy on his vote againts the $3,000,000.00 Federal grant. His vote against the grant was a good choice because, The city should not PURSUE the grant to build the road over the RXR tracks (near Heisley development).Because..Painesville doesn't need that extra traffic .I also think the city should sell the 600 acres on the other side of the tracks and take that money to build a community indoor pool
Please tell me anon 5:20 am is kidding - We can not have more money coming in to the City unless we develop! Andy voted against it because he doesn't understand - it's one of those "if you make it they will come" things. We can't increase our tax base (thus lowering the burden on the current residents) without creating more spaces that are conducive to industry and growth. Sell it? Build a pool? Sounds like someone has been drinking spiked kool aid. What is a pool going to do to help? All it will cause is more complaining - the city paid too much for it, they don't clean it right, they charge too much to use it, they don't charge enough....
Some people are never happy. But I for one will NEVER support a pool until the rest of the City is better.
Really? What was andy confused about? He doesn't want federal funding? To grow? Or to sell the property that the city DOESN'T own?
I believe Andy voted against it not because he didn't understand it, but because he wanted to be able to sleep at night. 120 more condos with poor EMS response times. Two years ago the city manager claimed the bridge was on the high priority list for Ohio's "shove ready projects" Painesville was nowhere close to the top or even considered. Believed her then don't believe her now. Remember?
In this case the city wants them to come before they can honestly say it will be built. I as well as most residents want this bridge to be built. Lets get the bridge first. The city manager also claims these 120 condo's will not make Diamond Center Drive or Heisley Park busier? Can't agree.
If you remember it was called Diamond Business Park not Condo Park.
I thought it was a P.U.D.area? What does a pud look like?
A PUD is a Planned Unit Community.
I believe the plan is to build these 120 units as apartments and when the economy gets better sell them as Condo.
I believe a good example of a PUD is Harbor Point.
PUD stands for Planned Unit Development
I agree with Andy, we don't need the development. The traffic is bad now. If the city developes this traffic will increase. The city should sell the property.
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