So, what happened last night? Anything?
http://www.berwyncommunitynews.com/ (http://www.berwyncommunitynews.com/)
Oddly disappointing is the phrase I've been using. Read the recap.
Wow - I've made it into a recap. Now, I know that I must actually WATCH goodfellas to keep up with all of the "inside" jokes. On my list of things to do.
;D
One thing that I think is worth bringing up - is that during the open session of COW - a previous Treasurer of Berwyn spoke to the council about investigating Privatizing the Finance department. I think it was an interesting proposition. He said that the requirement that the director be a CPA is a new requirement in the municipal finance director world (which to me is a scary thought) - and that there may not be a good pool of suitable candidates for the job. He said that privatization isn't new - we have privatized garbarge pick up (interesting comparison - Berwyns finances and our trash...), and that it could save $$$. He recommended that the council draft and issue an RFP to see what kind of support they could get for what cost.
Wondering what you guys think of this. I think its worth looking into - but I know there are 2 sides to every issue - and I know there will be others who disagree. Wondering what some of the down-sides could be.
Denise
At first, I thought it wasn't a good idea (prior to hearing him speak). He changed my mind. I think looking at out-sourcing would be an excellent idea.
I believe the gentleman was a CPA and MBA.
Cheers,
Brian
I was told that there is little use for a full time CPA, so if we could, in essence, "share" one with others; as long as the work is getting done I think it's a great idea.
I'm sorry I missed that discussion, but dinner had to be eaten. Wish I could have heard more about the new north fire station. It looks nice and will definitely be a "jewel" on 16th st.
A positive part of privatization is in the case of Finances, the company contracted takes full responsibility for any errors. I did not hear the presentation, but I would suspect this would also involve payroll, taxes, etc. Usually the business would have an employee on-site for day to day operations but the actual fiances/accounting is the responsibility of the contracted company.
For instance, ADP is a payroll processing company. Most is automated but the business needs an employee to do updates, overtime submissions as well as organizing/filing employee paperwork. This typically takes 2 work days out of 10, if employees are paid every other week. The other time could be spent doing other work within the business, possibly benefits administration?
Terri
QuoteA staffing request for public works was referred to the public works committee, as was a request for a bonus to Vince Comella of the water department. Bonus? For keeping the water running? Kinda like when Jimmy Conway gave a young Henry Hill a wad of cash for keeping the ice cold in Good Fellas?
Or kinda like T.Martirano Sr. giving his cousin(Vince) this cushy job he has!!
I hate when your at a council meeting and something slips by you about a bonus for an employee, (Vince Comella) and no one in the audience understands what was said and why. I would think it's a great idea if I knew more about it, or maybe I wouldn't?? Any ideas?
Ol' Vince thought is was a swell deal
Well, if the City of Berwyn provided the information in the packets to the public, we'd know what they were talking about. Which for the public would be good.
But then that means we'd know what they were talking about...you figure out the rest.
Cheers,
Brian
One thing I was wondering is if there has ever been a case where a municipality outsourced the entire running of the city? You would get similar types of savings that you would get with merging school districts, I think.
Suppose Berwyn were to outsource the entire running of the government to Oak Park, for example. Would that work?
Just something I was thinking about.
Ted
But then Ted, what in the world would happen to everyones almighty power??
On the surface it seems like a good idea but what about all the grants this city has received via the political networking in Springfield. I really have not added it up but there seems like a lot of money has come to the city from Springfield. If we did not get that money eventually it would come from our city portion of our property taxes.
QuoteOn the surface it seems like a good idea but what about all the grants this city has received via the political networking in Springfield. I really have not added it up but there seems like a lot of money has come to the city from Springfield. If we did not get that money eventually it would come from our city portion of our property taxes.
Good point Tony. I have a question. Not that I support her, but does anybody think that Judy Barr Topinka could be "good for Berwyn" as a Governor because of her Berwyn ties? Do you think she could have enough of a soft spot for her native Berwyn that we could benefit from it via grants, financial support, and so forth?
Going back to Tuesdays council meeting: (J)8. titled PUB WKS-DIR-BONUS FOR VINCE COMELLA,WATER DEPT.
I am really curious, as how this works?? Has it been a custom to award money bonuses out to employees? I may be wrong here, but isn't he a Dept. head? Any way he may very well deserve a bonus of $3,000.00, but as a tax payer I believe I should know why, and I believe he should be publicly awarded this for his outstanding services if this is the case.
Kinda like how the Mayor is awarded checks by Martin Sandoval, pictures taken and all.
For the time this issue was refereed back to public works dept.
When that item came up, Brian and I looked at each other with looks of bewilderment. A bonus?
Many private sector companies will have bonus policies in place to reward employees who are recognized by their peers or managers as having gone above and beyond but...
That was odd to me as well. What kind of Bonus? What *exactly* has he done to be recognized? And should he not be paraded in front of council and have his picture taken with the Mayor et al?
Cheers,
Brian
According to a past issue of the Life newspaper, back in July of 2005 Vince was appointed interim superintendent of water and sewer. He was currently a foreman of that department and a union member. There was no change in salary or position the article stated. Also he would remain in the union during his interim position as superintendent. I would guess he is still a union member in good standing as of today. Here is the problem with the bonus as I see it. Giving a bonus to a union member and by making it public to everyone causes internal conflict amongst the other union employees. Most of the time when an employer wants to reward an employee they will pay over union scale. I have know idea what the hourly pay rate is for the laborers and foreman. Let us say for a foreman at top pay it is 25.00 dollars an hour. That's the minimum the city is required to pay per the union contract. The city can pay anything they want over that if they see fit. So if they want to pay Vince 27 or 28 dollars an hour they can do it. Usually this is done very discreetly though. A lot of times only the employer and the individual involved are privy to it. Vince might very well deserve more money but a bonus is not the way to do it in my opinion. Pay him over scale and don't let the other union members know. The way it is now , if I was anybody but Vince in the union , my blood would be boiling. Maybe that's what the city wants. A bunch of pissed off union workers. I don't believe the union contract has been ratified yet.
Methinks this was done intentionally to send a message to the legions of patronage
people in PWD who got jobs thru the last admin, and are not being "cooperative"
with the mayor and his new appointees in public works...
Truly brilliant if this is the case...But brilliant and Berwyn are usually two words that
should never be mentioned in the same sentence..
I wonder if Matriano is still calling city hall asking the mayor for his missing Sinatra CD
that he left in his city vehicle that the mayor now drives...
If this was done intentionally, it was not done very smartly. Did they think this would not be noticed on the agenda, or missed as it was slipped back to the PWD for further study or a decision?
If we are suppose to have an open government these days, then besides the fact that my tax dollars could be paying for this "bonus", I would like to be informed just a little bit more.
Quote from: Berwyn Patsy on October 29, 2006, 09:02:03 AM
If this was done intentionally, it was not done very smartly. Did they think this would not be noticed on the agenda, or missed as it was slipped back to the PWD for further study or a decision?
If we are suppose to have an open government these days, then besides the fact that my tax dollars could be paying for this "bonus", I would like to be informed just a little bit more.
You probably could FOI the communication from the packet to see just what they voted upon.
Cheers,
Brian
Your right, I could probably FOI this piece on the agenda, but why should I have to request, and pay for information that I feel rightfully should be for public knowledge?? This is the part that probably bothers me more then the "bonus" itself.!!
BP...E-mail your alderman
QuoteMethinks this was done intentionally to send a message to the legions of patronage
people in PWD who got jobs thru the last admin, and are not being "cooperative"
with the mayor and his new appointees in public works...
Truly brilliant if this is the case...But brilliant and Berwyn are usually two words that
should never be mentioned in the same sentence..
I wonder if Matriano is still calling city hall asking the mayor for his missing Sinatra CD
that he left in his city vehicle that the mayor now drives
What would constitute not cooperating with the Mayor? Don't those guys go out and do the job asked of them? Is the Public Works Dept. rebelling against City Hall? With contract negations going on for 14mths and still no ratification I would think PW would have every right to rebel. The Savior and his 8 Dimwits saw fit to settle contracts with three other Unions,give the police in effect 16 extra days off, and cant come to an agreement with 21 guys? Sounds like The Saviour might be lining up a good ole Privatization. But HE said he would never do that!! Well as we have all seen he definitely talks out of the side of his mouth as well as his oversized ass.The mayor or the city giving Big Vince a bonus is expressly forbidden by the Union contract. But the Saviour would never do anything like the old administration!! Ha more of the good ole double talk.
As for the whereabouts of the CD, we should ask Jean Marie Hajer where that is, it seems she enjoys driving that vehicle as much as the Saviour does! Kinda strange don't ya think?
Quote from: countdemontecristo on October 29, 2006, 10:34:10 AM
QuoteMethinks this was done intentionally to send a message to the legions of patronage
people in PWD who got jobs thru the last admin, and are not being "cooperative"
with the mayor and his new appointees in public works...
Truly brilliant if this is the case...But brilliant and Berwyn are usually two words that
should never be mentioned in the same sentence..
I wonder if Matriano is still calling city hall asking the mayor for his missing Sinatra CD
that he left in his city vehicle that the mayor now drives
What would constitute not cooperating with the Mayor? Don't those guys go out and do the job asked of them? Is the Public Works Dept. rebelling against City Hall? With contract negations going on for 14mths and still no ratification I would think PW would have every right to rebel. The Savior and his 8 Dimwits saw fit to settle contracts with three other Unions,give the police in effect 16 extra days off, and cant come to an agreement with 21 guys? Sounds like The Saviour might be lining up a good ole Privatization. But HE said he would never do that!! Well as we have all seen he definitely talks out of the side of his mouth as well as his oversized ass.The mayor or the city giving Big Vince a bonus is expressly forbidden by the Union contract. But the Saviour would never do anything like the old administration!! Ha more of the good ole double talk.
As for the whereabouts of the CD, we should ask Jean Marie Hajer where that is, it seems she enjoys driving that vehicle as much as the Saviour does! Kinda strange don't ya think?
Outsourcing seems like it might be a reasonable topic to look at. Have other towns done it?
Has the contract expired? If so, is the city still bound by the contract? If not, looks like they can give the bonus.
As far as the city truck the mayor drives, it belongs to the city...who cares what employee is driving it (as long as it is for city business)?
Berwyn Patsy: I agree with you that we should not be required for FOIA all of those items. Members of "the press" get a packet. And when I asked in the clerk's office for a packet, I was told I wasn't allowed to have one. I asked what policy determined who was allowed to have a packet and who wasn't and received a non-commital response. Classic.
Cheers,
Brian
As one of the public who attends the city council meetings, I wonder if suggesting a fee for a packet would be allowed if someone wanted one??
I understand that it costs the city money to have copies made. I bet most of the audience that attends these meetings would be willing to pay a fee just so we could understand what is going on also. This would then eliminate the questions and speculations afterwards.
Or do you think the less we know, the better we are attitude still prevails??
Brian ,
I believe the DPW contract ended Dec.31,2005. Sometimes during ongoing contract negotiations both sides will mutually agree on extending the contract until the next scheduled meeting. If this is the case then the contract is still alive. Bonuses are not allowed if that's what the contract says. I've have not heard of any municipalities outsourcing the entire public works department. Sometimes they will outsource maintaining streets lamps & traffic signals , tree trimming , sewer cleaning etc. I believe Berwyn already outsources the maintenance of street lamps & traffic lights. Personally I don't believe in outsourcing any part of the DPW. I think they do a good job.
Our city services from PWD are fantastic. I have had the privilege of meeting some of these people and I can assure you they go the extra distance to provide the best for us. Keep in mind these guys are on call 24/7 365...and will drop everything at a moments notice to repair
a water main break at 2 am on a January morning...
Privation of services may be a viable option in other areas of city government , but not here
Dont forget when a municipality does privitize a service they are at the mercy of the company contracted to perform those services. If the performance drops or isnt up to par the municipality is stuck until renewal time. They also lose direct control over the workforce and cede that control to the company. Smaller municipalities can do it, one the size of Berywn probably not.
I think those are all things you'd take into consideration. I still think you consider the question. (and as an aside, I tend not to be in favor of outsourcing a lot of public sector jobs...I think the school janitorial staffs do a lot more than mop the floor...you lose that with an outside company)
So the question regarding the bonus really becomes whether both sides agreed to extend the terms of the contract.
Cheers,
Brian
Word has it that the "bonus" was reimbursement for
education...Big difference between two little words,
why was the language wriiten such for council
I believe Bear has hit it on the head.
Quote from: Berwyn Patsy on October 29, 2006, 02:18:25 PM
As one of the public who attends the city council meetings, I wonder if suggesting a fee for a packet would be allowed if someone wanted one??
I understand that it costs the city money to have copies made. I bet most of the audience that attends these meetings would be willing to pay a fee just so we could understand what is going on also. This would then eliminate the questions and speculations afterwards.
Or do you think the less we know, the better we are attitude still prevails??
Patsy,
Don't we already pay a fee? I consider taxes a fee.
The less the public knows, the better off some people are. Yes, I think that attitude prevails. Think about how much discussion/speculation occurs because none of the 75 people in the audience has any idea what they aldermen are voting upon?
I don't understand why the packet couldn't be posted as a PDF on the website. Selected newspapers get to see the packet, why not the public? As for the argument that not everything is submitted electronically, there are these things that have been invented called "scanners" which allows one to convert an image into a machine readable format. Yes, it might take a little time, but certainly we could spare the 2 hours needed to scan information? Or even require communications to be submitted electronically???
Yes, I am a radical and a heretic.
Cheers,
Brian
Perhaps the new assistant clerk position can be staffed by someone with a little more technology savvy.
#8's wet dream of having everything digital could come true.
Scoon, maybe you could be #8's wet dream. You're very tech savvy. ;D
Quote from: CozyNite on October 30, 2006, 10:05:06 AM
Scoon, maybe you could be #8's wet dream. You're very tech savvy. ;D
And I look good in assless chaps!