We continually hear what bad shape we are in, right? The City even gave you a special assessment to bring in the cash because, aww gee, we have to pay this pension and don't have it budgeted...we need the money...we are broke...we have to pay for the library and such.
The biggest expense we have in this City is that of personnel costs. In 2008 we had 573 positions. Four years later, the city has almost 313 positions. May of these positions were police and fire with those employees going to Palm Beach County and we outsourced some city services such as park, facility and street maintenance. For this new Budget, the City shaved off 39 positions saving $1.2 million and vacant positions went unfilled. Personnel costs are expected to rise this year by nearly $800,000 due to health care, pensions and new positions.
We already know about some of the top management positions: Leisure Services Manager which was the old recreation manager position, an internal auditor, a community marketing coordinator, etc. However, we now have 13 pages of new jobs being advertised on the City's web site with salary ranges from $11.62 an hour for a clerical assistant to an assistant city attorney at a max of $36.05 an hour (as you recall the former assistant city attorney involved herself in some sort of fraud situation) and a Planning & Preservation Manager for a max of $48.87 an hour. If you factor in all the generous benefits, we pay well.
The utility itself is advertising for 9 positions, 5 of which are related to the Water plant. It is no wonder why our taxes went up 5.25% for water. And don't forget the five lineman apprentices. Someone in the industry calculated out what we will be paying them: $17.51 per hour times 2080 work hours per year equals $36,420.80 times 5 equals $182,104.00 now if you add 40% personnel overheads (insurance, health care, etc.) it adds up to $254,945.60 which is a large amount of money. Pam Triolo stated the facts when she questioned any savings to the consumer from the electric utility. If you use 1000 kWh or more, you will be paying the highest rate under the new rate structure.
Were we ever in a financial urgency? Ask the Unions the answer to that question. Or did raising all these taxes this year along with the advalorem get the City in a better position to go right around and spend all of the money plus some on new hires? Tax and spend is the name of this game.
16 comments:
The people of Lake Worth elected this Commission and now we are stuck with them. Hopefully with the up coming election we can change a few seat and end the majority that keeps us in this HOLE.
Thanks for the write up Lynn. You spurred my interest so I went to some past Budget Statements and found that about 200 of the 573 positions in 2008 were Police & Fire and we outsourced about 20 jobs from public services. If my research is correct, we haven't reduced personnel by 10% in 3 years.
I really don't think our Commission is doing a very good job of oversight in these very difficult financial times.
We need to hold both the comm and city manager accountable for this cash and grab, I am fed up with poor management when we have to pay the price, too much waste as you share here Lynn, we need to rebel at city hall tonight and every Tuesday until we see reform. We really need to push for the release of this city manager, we cannot afford her and all the arrogance and bad mistakes she is making. I want Stanton fired now!
The city manager is building up a surplus of cash so the city can pay off all those losing lawsuits they face. You know the ones brought on by the BCE breaking legal contracts. The ones the BCME presided over and advised on.
The above sounds like a blogger. Just because some contracts were signed by former commissions and friends of yours, does not make them good ones. And not all contracts that we got out of lost us money, i.e., the PB County Water Contract. So, go blow smoke somewhere else.
No past commissioners are friends of mine. It's a fact the BCE broke numerous contracts. It's a fact the city stands a good chance of losing the cases. It's a fact they will need money to pay for the lawsuits or settlements. It's a fact the BCME presided over this mess. Can they tell you where the money to pay will come from?
Maybe you missed the recent article that stated the city had to pay a $1.5 million dollar penalty for breaking the PBC water contract. No matter how hard you try you can't spin that paying $1.5 million for anything we didn't receive is saving money. $1.5 mil. There's the fire pension money WITHOUT an assessment.
Apparently you don't mind paying penalties or high water bills.
Oh wait you don't pay any property taxes or water bills so naturally you wouldn't understand.
You talk about "tax and spend" Lake Worth- where did the money come from for the R.O. plant?
Aside from getting ugly and personal--don't try it again here...go to Wes' blog and rant--
We ended up saving $3.5 million by breaking that contract with PB Cnty Water.
Next, why would you assume that I like paying assessments or high bills. This blog is not about ME. I write about that all of the time.
The money for the RO came from the Bond in 2004. Where have you been?
Replacing the city manager is definitely not the answer.
Lynn, You stated we saved money by breaking the water contract, but what about all the water we have to buy even if we do not use it?
750,000 gallons a day for three years even if we do not use it. It is in the post, and if you do not believe me call the BCME she can explain it to you. And Yes I am for REAL>
the city is buying water how much is this costing us a year
No comment Lynn?
Well, since you keep barraging me--
The 750,000 gallons was part of the settlement agreement which split the difference between the County's previous proposal and LW's counter offer. 1 MGD average daily flow.
Are you saying that we should not have negotiated this contract but instead have stopped our RO with $15 million already spent and a grant of $2 mil for our RO?
Don't bother answering me.
NO Lynn I am just trying to find out how much are City Manager REALLY saved us that is all
The 750,000 is only for 3 years.
The Utility dept reported the following:
THE FACTS:
If we had stayed with the Palm Beach County Water Contract (LW a buyer of water)
$25,786,000
$1,500,000 payback to South Florida Water management for a total of
$27,286,000
Reverse Osmosis System (LW a supplier of water)
$23,556,000 (this includes the cost of getting out of the PB County Water deal of $1.2 million)
Please, I don't have time to continue to do this research.
All I am saying is you say we saved 3.5 million dollars, we are now obligated to buy water for 3 years. The cost of the water must be deducted to come up with the REAL total saved by the City Manager.
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