Public Works Expects Partial Restoration Of Services

Public Works Director Tim Hanser announced Thursday that some department services can be restored under the 2014 budget passed by the City Council last month, but said this would not be possible if further reductions are made to the budget.

The announcement, issued through Mayor Daryl Finizio's office, comes as some residents work to collect enough signatures on a petition to send both the city and school budget, totaling $81,979,980, to referendum. The deadline for the petition to be submitted for consideration by the City Council is June 12, according to City Clerk Nathan Caron.

Due to an additional $390,485 in anticipated state highway and town aid, Hanser anticipates that the funds that can be applied to Public Works will result in a net increase of $35,110 over the 2013 budget. 

As part of budget reductions in the 2013 fiscal year, the department laid off three employees and kept eight vacant positions and six part-time positions unfunded. The department also curtailed a number of services including closing the transfer station on Saturdays except during weeks with holidays, stopping garbage and recycling collection during snow plowing operations, and suspending separate trips for yard waste and Christmas trees. The department has also delayed some trash pickups if a route cannot be completed in a day to avoid overtime costs and stay within its allotted budget.

Hanser said the 2014 budget would allow for the restoration of two weeks of yard waste pickup during the months of November and April; one week of yard waste pickup during the months of October, December, March, May, and June; and one week of Christmas tree pickup in January. 

Hanser also said the transfer station could be opened for four hours on the first Saturday of the month in August, October, November, and March through June.

Hanser said no layoffs are required in the current budget, but warned that further reductions in staffing and services could take place if additional budget cuts are made. He said the department's workforce of 46 employees is 19 percent lower than the 2012 fiscal year, while the overtime budget of $445,585 is a 5.6 percent reduction from the 2013 fiscal year.

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