Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 11-26-2007 special agenda — reading text

and E: a street sweeper position. It should be noted that the Street Operations Manager is also responsible for the Right- of-Way Maintenance and the Cemetery Divisions. I Maintains 97 miles of paved streets, one mile of unpaved Major services: street, and all streets, sidewalks and curbs throughout the City. Staff is also responsible Ii for constructing and maintaining the city' s stormwater management infrastructure. I Alternative Services Delivery Study for Fort Walton Beach, Florida Page 12- 5  Public Works J Right- of-Way Maintenance The total number of authorized and filled positions is nine ( 9). The Horticulturist WI serves as the division superintendent and has a Service Worker III, who functions as a foreman, reporting directly to him. Division personnel are organized in three ( 3) two- III person mowing and maintenance crews and one ( 1) one- person landscaping crew. j Major services: Landscapes and maintains areas along city roadways and rights- of-way as well as selected City properties such as water wells, the City yard, the L sanitation yard, the municipal parking lot, and related properties. In addition to mowing, maintenance activities include edging, trimming, sweeping, weeding, fertilizing, applying E herbicides and and removing litter. These services are also pesticides, irrigating E provided on specific state highway medians and rights- of-way under a contract that is funded by the state. r.~.., ' i- Cemetery t The total number of authorized positions is three ( 3) plus one part- time. All but the part- time are filled. The two ( 2) Service Workers I and the part- time position report L directly to the Cemetery Supervisor. E Major services: Operates and maintains the Beal Memorial Cemetery and Brooks Cemetery. Responsible for the sale of all plots, niches and mausoleum spaces I as well as grounds maintenance and the supervision of funerals. Ii,':,: I I I Alternative Services Delivery Study for Fort Walton Beach, Florida Page 12- 6  Public Works 12.2 Maior Policies and ODerationallssues Vacant Positions I: Finding: Seven ( 7) of the 83 full-time and the one ( 1) part-time authorized positions were vacant as of July 16, 2007. Most of these positions have been vacant for at least a year yet each has been fully funded in previous annual budgets. The services funds typically used to offset over- budget unexpended personal were E'......... expenditures in other line items. Recommendation # 49: Eliminate four ( 4) of the seven ( 7) vacant full- time I. in the Department. The positions that should be eliminated and the positions E approximate cost reductions ( including fringe benefits) are as follows: Engineer in the Engineering Division-$ 75, 700. ( The Public Works p...... Director stated that it would be desirable to replace that Engineer II position with an Engineering Technician.) Fleet Maintenance Division-$ 34, 800. Equipment Mechanic III in the The Equipment Mechanic I position, which is also vacant, should be filled as soon as possible. That position is responsible for oil changes and lubrication and, until it is filled, higher skilled/ paid positions must do I this work. We understand the division has had difficulty filling the position primarily due its low pay grade.) I Two ( 2) Service Worker I positions in the Street & Drainage Division- E 56, 500. These budgetary reductions total approximately $ 236, 738 ( including an estimated 400/0 I in benefit costs). We understand the Public Works Director has already agreed with I these reductions. I Alternative Services Delivery Study for Fort Walton Beach, Florida Page 12- 7 E  Public Works Service Maintenance Supervisor Finding: The duties performed by the Service Maintenance Supervisor are Ii primarily administrative. These include preparing and processing purchase orders, 1M reviewing and submitting time sheets, entering some data into the work order system, l and similar activities. He also " runs the shop" when the Superintendent is not available but we understand this occurs infrequently. Both a Superintendent and a supervisor are t normally not necessary for a division with only nine ( 9) staff members. t Recommendation # 50: Eliminate the Service Maintenance Supervisor position. The adjustment would save an estimated $ 65, 000 annually including benefits. E Recycling I Finding: The recycling operation has lost money for at least the past four ( 4) years and participation has been declining steadily. Each residence in the City is I,~ charged $ 1.45 per month for recycling, whether or not they participate in the program. This fee has not changed since the program began about 10 years ago. The division dedicates four ( 4) people and two ( 2) trucks with trailers to provide once a week pick- up. Minimal monies are received for the recyclable items and, in fact, the transfer station The financial attempted to charge the City $ 4 per ton for sorting, but was dissuaded. results for recycling are shown in the following chart. I FY 2006- 07 FY 2005-06 FY 2004- 05 FY 2003- 04 Budget) ( Budget) ( Actual) ( Actual) I Revenue $ 127, 500 $ 127, 511 $ 127, 500 $ 127, 000 165, 800 $ 140, 793 $ 141, 250 $ 147, 650 I Expenses $ 38,300) ($ 13, 282) ($ 13, 750) ($ 20, 650) Profit/ CLoss) ($ I I Alternative Services Delivery Study for Fort Walton Beach, Florida Page 12- 8 Ii  Public Works ill Recommendation # 51: Eliminate the recycling program and the associated fee. t The savings of $ 13, 000 to $ 40, 000 per year will help offset an expected increase in transfer station tipping fees ($ 15, 820) this coming January and reduce the size of the E! recommended general fee increase presented in a subsequent recommendation. t Special Pick- up Fees Finding: Large household items ( white goods) that are too big for regular collection are picked up on special runs at no charge. These special runs are I usually made on Fridays based upon requests and/ or crew observations. The runs are A very inefficient and costly but households are not charged for these special services. I 15 fee per pick- up was instituted several years ago but dropped after citizen complaints. Ii Recommendation # 52: Institute a fee for pick- up of large household items. The division should determine the approximate cost for the service as well as similar fees charged by the county, other local governments, and commercial collectors. They should then recommend an appropriate fee to City Council. Sanitation Fees Finding: Fees for residential collection, commercial collection and tipping fees I have not increased since 1995 even though most costs have increased E significantly during this period. Last year, during preparation of the FY 2006- 07 budget, the Sanitation Division proposed to conduct an evaluation of garbage and I recycling services and prepare a five-year rate plan that would sustain the Sanitation Fund in a positive cash position. The plan was to be presented to the City Council early I in the fiscal year. This plan, however, was not prepared or presented. I Alternative Services Delivery Study for Fort Walton Beach, Florida Page 12- 9 IJ f" III' Public Works Recommendation #53: Approve the three (3) percent increase in service fees that is recommended in the FY 2007- 08 City Manager' s Proposed Budget. The Sanitation Division should then develop a five- year rate plan for inclusion in the FY 2008- 09 proposed budget. t Yard Waste Ordinance Finding: The city ordinance that establishes yard waste limitations is outdated. The ordinance was developed in the 1960' s when yard waste was picked up by rear E loading trucks. Today, trucks with knuckle- boom loaders are used to pick up yard waste and the same restrictions/ limitations do not apply. I,....,.; Recommendation # 54: Update the yard waste ordinance to reflect appropriate t: restrictions/ limitation with current equipment. The division should prepare the revised ordinance and submit it to City Council. 12.3 Alternative Service Deliverv ODtions Departmental Structure of Public Works and Utilities Finding: The City' s water and sewer operations were separated from the Public Works Department and established as the Utilities Department on October 1, I: