Vol. 3, No. 3
February 21, 2003
Contents
1) CITY BUDGET UPDATE
We've known for weeks now that an additional cut of approximately $3 million in state aid has
reduced Somerville's anticipated revenues by over $5 million. The Board of Aldermen has been
wondering what cuts the Mayor would propose in order to balance the city's budget - perhaps
you've been wondering, too. The suspense is over - here is an overview of the Mayor's
proposal.
A) Mayor Gives Pink Slips for Valentine's Day
On Friday, February 14, the city's entire Department of Human Services received two weeks
notice of termination of employment, except for the two department heads: H.S. Director
Melissa McWhinney, and Human Rights Director Shenendoah Titus. Women's Commission
Director Christie Mase; Fabiola, the Housing Coordinator; Family Services Director Bonnie
Carroll; Yvette, our Human Rights Investigator; and Sue, the dependable Administrative
Assistant, will all be terminated as of February 28, 2003. This move will save the city a total
of $33,898 in FY '03.
Other cuts are: a vacant Outreach Coordinator position with the Council on Aging; a vacant
Coordinator of Programs position and an Outreach Coordinator in the Youth Department
(another position in Youth will now be funded from a federal grant, rather from the city budget).
The Communications Department is losing a Website Coordinator, 4 Telephone Operators, and
a Junior Programmer; Traffic and Parking is losing a Draftsman; Weights and Measures a
Deputy Sealer, the Police a Part-time Dog Officer. Public Works is losing three Heavy Equipment
Operators, 2 Part-time Drafting Interns, and 2 Building Custodians.
The city will also be reducing the stipends for its two part-time Assessors. There is also a plan
to merge the Youth Department with the Recreation Department, and the remains of Human
Services, with the Board of Health in FY '04. "Also, a potential reduction in Library staff to
be announced upon analysis of Branch Library hours of operation."
Additionally, some services have been eliminated: the Senior Shuttle transportation program, the
Employee Assistance Program, and the Summer Concert Series. Departmental budgets are also
being cut by varying amounts, and other cost-saving measures are being investigated for FY '04.
A number of the proposed cuts seem not only sensible, but also long overdue. I am shocked,
however, at the Administration's decision to jettison its Human Services Department, especially
in these hard times. During last year's budget hearings, I can remember my colleagues
complimenting the Human Services Director on how much her staff accomplished with their
comparatively tiny budget.
This is not the department I would have chosen to cut - the need is great, and these folks are
known for their good work. Yet if this department must go, retaining the two department heads
is an odd choice. Why keep the managers, when there is no one left to manage?
If Human Services is to be cut to two positions, the positions retained should be these: 1) we
need a Human Rights Investigator, since, by law, complaints to the Massachusetts Commission
Against Discrimination need to go through a local review and referral stage; and 2) we need
someone to give information and referrals to other human service agencies, since this is the only
other function the city's department will have. In addition, this staffing pattern will save the city
even more money, since it replaces management positions with lower-paid staff positions.
Have an opinion about the cuts? Call, write, or e.mail the Mayor, to let her know what you
think.
B) My Budget Suggestions
Board of Aldermen President Sean O'Donovan recently asked all Board members to prepare a
list of suggestions for dealing with the state cuts to the city's budget. We were to submit our
suggestions in writing to the Finance Committee, to be forwarded to the Mayor. What follows
is my list of suggestions. The list, of course, does not exhaust my ideas on the subject:
1) Engage the people of this city in the budget and planning process. Public hearings/meetings
should be held - preferably in locations all over the city - to introduce residents to the format
and methods of the city budget, and to take testimony as to what is important to the people of
this city in the way of city services, what their priorities are. This process should happen even
when there is no budget crisis.
2) Proposals for cuts/consolidations of departments should be put forward at these meetings, and
then finalized soon, so that informed decisions can be made about facilities. Any re-organization
of city departments has implications for how buildings and other spaces are to be used.
Decisions about programming need to be made first; decisions about space logically follow.
3) An inventory of all city buildings should be made, and city programs housed within city
buildings. At a time when we supposedly have "surplus" city buildings, we are paying over
$700,000 a year renting space to house city programs. Better utilization of city assets and
resources would make our dollars go further in good times and bad.
4) City managers should institute better controls for overtime, and a better system for
documenting why it is justified when it is authorized. The report on overtime expenditure, which
this Board recently requested, showed $1,227,245.30 spent as of January 20, 2003 - only just
past the mid-way point of the fiscal year, and only on the city side of the budget. A year's worth
of rental payments, and a half-year's overtime total almost $2 million, for just these two items.
5) Detailed budgets for OHCD and for the Telecommunications Trust Fund should be presented
Board of Aldermen for its review, to present the full spectrum of the city's resources. This
requirement was set forth by Ordinance in 2000, but there has not yet been compliance.
6) We should end the practice of established salaries for appointed positions by ordinance, and
instead develop salary ranges for each position, with "steps" that reflect credentials, experience,
and years on the job. The city needs to create a rational basis for its professional/managerial
positions, and for raises, when it gives them.
7) Address once again the matter of gasoline allowances for city employees. Last year, this
Board ordered a cut from the budget of all gas allowances not required by union contract. We
asked the Solicitor, I believe, whether we might lawfully move to a system in which mileage,
and the purpose for which it is traveled, are documented, and employees reimbursed. It is time
for the Solicitor to answer this question. It is also time for the city to develop a clear, explicit,
and reasonable policy for issuance and maintenance of city vehicles.
8) Somerville could make many residents happy, and enhance revenues, by issuing fines for the
kinds of violations of law and ordinance that degrade our quality of life. Contractors who build
without a permit; motorists who speed, run through pedestrian crosswalks and red lights;
landlords who maintain apartment buildings where trash is piled outside all week long - ticket
these folks, and the people who pay their taxes and obey the law will applaud.
9) Inventory all the city's personal property, and check the inventory each year, to monitor and
control "shrinkage."
10) Conserve heating fuel with lower temperatures and better controls. The committee room in
city hall is always roasting hot in winter, as are many other parts of the building. The interiors
of many of our schools are uncomfortably hot and dry in winter. The Commission on Energy
Use and Climate Change can probably give many suggestions on energy economy and the
reduction of waste.
11) Put more contracts out to bid. Even where the law does not require competitive bidding, it
can be useful to find out what other options are out there, especially in this economic climate.
2) FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN OUR SCHOOLS
A) Report on Ward 6 Meeting Available
In my last regular newsletter, I announced a meeting on February 4, held by Ward 6 School
Committee person Carolyn Taylor and parent/activist Joel Nitzberg to discuss public education
is Somerville. Joel made concise, but detailed notes of the discussion that took place at that
meeting, divided into the topics "What is working?" "What changes are needed?" and "What
should we work towards?"
Anyone who would like a copy of these notes can get them by contacting Joel Nitzberg at (617)
627-9003, or jknitz@rcn.com
B) Get Help Organizing Your Own Meeting
Joel Nitzberg, whose contact information is above, has kindly offered to help organize and
facilitate meetings to discuss public education in other parts of the city. If you want to engage
in public dialogue about the schools, but don't know where to begin - or don't want to tackle
such a project on your own - talk to Joel. If you set up such meetings, and give me enough
notice, I'll help to spread the word.
3) COMMUNITY FORUM ON WAR, FEAR, AND ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
This forum will take place on Saturday, February 22, from 10 a.m. until noon, at the United
Methodist Church at the corner of College Avenue and Chapel Street. Sponsored by
Somerville/Medford United for Justice with Peace and CPPAX, this forum will focus on military
spending versus other priorities in our current national and international political climate. There
will be speakers and discussion.
4) LIKE KIDS AND GARDENS? HERE'S A GREAT JOB POSSIBILITY
Groundwork Somerville is looking for an individual with communication, organizational,
teaching, and gardening skills to manage construction of gardens at 3 elementary schools over
two years, and to teach and manage after school Growing Healthy Clubs of about ten kids each,
among other duties. This will be a 22-hour a week position over two years, with a salary range
of $16,500 to $19,800 a year. For more information see:
www.GroundworkSomerville.org
or telephone (617) 628-9988. Email for job applications:
job_box@groundworksomerville.org
5) READER'S QUIZ ANSWER, NEW QUIZ
The correct answer to the last quiz question, what was the cleanup cost for the Christmas, 2002,
snowstorm, is $60,000. It's good to be fluent in Budget these days.
The new quiz will send all of you with the great quotation-searching skills straight to
google.com, but I thought it was too good to pass up:
"The voice of the people is not always the voice of God. When selfish political leaders succeed
in arousing public prejudice and stilling the voice of reason...the voice of the people then
becomes the hiss of mobs."
1) Who is the speaker?
2) Speaking of what event?
3) When?
Creative guessing is encouraged, google notwithstanding.
copyright 2003 Denise Provost
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