Departments face change
under Bennett’s proposal
By Kathy McCarty
PRESQUE ISLE — City Manager Jim Bennett provided City Council with a presentation proposing changes to various departments, from fire and police to recreation and solid waste, designed to keep the municipality’s 2011 budget level, with the goal to prevent the need to raise the mil rate — the most significant changes would affect solid waste disposal and staffing for fire and police.
Bennett began by noting this was his first budget presentation since taking the position of city manager. He advised councilors that they’d notice a different between this year’s draft and past budgets.
“The document you get will be different than it has been in the past. It will be extremely detailed compared to the past, including a three-year expenditure history. It’s designed for anyone to understand; no matter how they get the information, they can figure out how to read it,” said Bennett, adding, “We will be live on our network as changes are made, with figures updated as we go.”
Council sessions are televised on Channel 16. The broadcast, according to Bennett, allows viewers to keep up with the most current discussions before the Council, including the new budget.
“I feel the average citizen would make the same decisions the Council makes, if given the same information,” he said.
Bennett then went on to a PowerPoint presentation which details changes he proposes be made to the way the city operates, in order to reduce expenses while maintaining services.
“I recommend the same funding levels as last year,” he said.
Bennett said what city officials are trying to do is not spend time trying to figure out what’s going on, but focus on what’s been done and how things can be done better. He said the decrease in state revenue sharing and the Homestead Exemption has greatly impacted communities, including Presque Isle, and that new approaches had to be sought to solve budget shortfalls.
Effectiveness and efficiency were key elements to the city manager’s proposal. Bennett told councilors about changes that would affect several departments and their day-to-day operations. He said maintenance on the city’s infrastructure was falling behind schedule, due to past budget cuts. That wasn’t something the city manager wanted to see continue.
“That’s passing on deferments to future generations. (That will continue) if we don’t increase infrastructure investment,” said Bennett.
His major concern with regard to infrastructure was the city’s landfill. Bennett proposed changing from the current system of taxpayers choosing their garbage hauler to one whereby the city would provide curbside service, at a slightly increased fee per bag. Large garbage bags currently cost $1.75 each to be disposed of at the transfer station.
“We would go to a pay-per-bag system for residential properties — $2.75 for large bags (33 gallon) and $1.40 for small bags (kitchen size). Free curbside collection would be available for residents. We’d also continue to encourage recycling,” said Bennett.
“There’ll be adjustments citizens will need to make. It’s not employees who got us into this mess. We want to minimize the impact on employees,” said Bennett.
Bennett said under the proposal, city officials would meet with the local haulers who currently provide service throughout the community, dividing the city up between the companies through a contract process.
Staffing was another issue addressed in Bennett’s restructuring proposal.
Bennett’s plan included combining the Recreation and Parks Department with the Forum, putting Rec Director Chris Beaulieu in charge, with Forum Director Jim Kaiser serving under Beaulieu in an advisory capacity. Additional staff changes would be required to blend the two departments.
“To get to zero (level budget), we must do things differently. The goal of restructuring is to minimize the impact on the services citizens receive; minimize impact on employees; and deal with second-in-command issues,” said Bennett. “My implementation plan is to outline the proposal today and if it’s embraced by Council, then fund the ‘savings’ in one-time money to allow the change to occur over time (it must be done by Oct. 1, 2011).”
Bennett expressed concern that there was no clear chain of command in certain departments — specifically fire and police. He noted that while the fire department has deputy chiefs, there should actually be a captain who would answer directly to the chief. Similarly, he suggested the police department do likewise, so in the absence of the chief there would be a specific person in charge.
The city manager also proposed staffing changes at the fire and police departments. At the fire station, there are currently three five-member shifts. Bennett recommended switching to a seven-member crew for day shift, with two four-member crews for remaining shifts. He also suggested incorporating the code enforcement officer into the fire department, requiring one firefighter to be trained as CEO. An administrative assistant would also be added to the staff.
At the police station, Bennett recommended hiring four full-time dispatchers as opposed to the one full-time dispatcher and officers covering desk that is now the case.
“Hiring dispatchers would reduce costs through lower pay for positions, about $3 per hour round the clock, as well as uniforms, weapons, etc.,” said Bennett.
No new hiring would take place. Dispatchers would be hired as officers left the department, thus increasing civilian staff while reducing the number of law enforcement officers at the department.
Following the presentation, Councilors were presented with their first rough draft of the 2011 budget, estimated at $10,682,150.
“The 2011 budget and financial plan will decrease government size, reducing total budgeted employment another six full-time jobs or 6 percent; have minimal impacts on service levels; increase investment in infrastructure by $349,925 or 58.83 percent; and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your local government,” said Bennett.
In other business, Council:
• Continued consideration of a zoning amendment proposed by Alan Trombley of Trombley Industries to rezone 227 Parsons Road from urban residential zone – 2 to a business zone, with the second hearing scheduled for Nov. 1;
• Continued consideration of a zoning amendment proposed by Aroostook Football to amend the language of the business zone to add “recreational facilities” as a use permissible by special exception, with a second hearing scheduled Nov. 1;
• Received no public comment with regard to a brownfield site and planned cleanup action on the Chapman Road, at the former Webber Oil property;
• Discussed early retirement incentives for municipal employees as a budget-cutting measure;
• Agreed that Jennifer Trombley and Don Gardner would serve on a new Strategic Planning Committee, who will then work with the city manager to solicit citizen volunteers;
• Approved consent agenda items; and
• Appointed Jim Bennett as voting delegate for the Maine Municipal Association annual business meeting.
The next Council meeting will take place on Monday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to participate. For more information, call 760-2720 or visit www.presqueisle.govoffice2.com.
