KOPKA KARRIES TFD AQUA #TroyCrazy

From: lynn kopka <lkopka@earthlink.net>
Date: March 21, 2016 at 11:56:01 AM EDT
To: CPAS@cusackcpas.com
Cc: Carmella Mantello <cmantell@nycap.rr.com>,  erin teta <erinsullivanteta@gmail.com>
Subject: Troy Corrective Action Plan
Reply-To: lynn kopka <lkopka@earthlink.net>
Mr. Cusack - Attached please find suggestions for exploration re: Troy CAP - savings and revenue increases. The suggestions are fairly obvious and no doubt, you are already exploring most of them. Thank you for reaching out to us.
Lynn Kopka & Erin Sullivan-Teta

The following are suggestions for study concerning cost saving or revenue generating measures which

may or may not be financially or politically feasible. Contract provisions limit several of the suggestions.

The ideas are derived from research and/or conversations with interested residents. We are not

advocating for them, merely offering them as areas for consideration:

Cost/benefit analysis of the ambulance/EMT service – we know the revenues generated but no one has

provided what the costs are – training, staffing, equipment, increased salary/benefits, etc.

Cost/benefit analysis of closing the North Street firehouse and redeploying the firefighters

Cost/benefit analysis of 8 hour shifts for firefighters (unknown if this saves money)

Cost of various contract provisions – backboarding, beard day, number of firefighters permitted to take

vacation on any given day, etc.

Implement employee time tracking system

Possible shared services with County for tax bills (other opportunities to save?)

Increase all fees/permits – is City of Troy in line with neighboring municipalities?

Cost/benefit analysis of TPD assuming THA security

Develop Eds and Meds Economic Strategy – RPI, Sage, HVCC, health providers – long term results

Analysis of reduction in OT with the addition of 2 Battalion Chiefs (I don’t know if this is true but was

suggested by a retired FF)

Develop and implement garbage/recyclable material diversion methods – composting, higher

compliance rate for recycling (initial capital outlay?)

Explore energy efficiency options for city facilities – initial outlay for retrofit of buildings, installation of

equipment, etc. may be costly but recouped over period of time

Employees pay greater health insurance contribution

Institute bed tax at the hotels

Repeal the mandated apprenticeship program requirement for bids over $250,000 (I believe it expires at

the end of 2016); it will have significant cost increases for the courtroom and police building rehabs

Many of the suggestions were advanced by constituents and require contract negotiation to achieve.

Bonadio management letters recommend that the city adequately and appropriately staff key

offices/departments – an initial increase will yield savings over the long term. Better tracking of

expenditures/revenues, etc. The city does not have current technology for efficient operations in any of

its departments. Initial outlays for appropriate equipment and software will yield savings and more

productive use of time. Adequate training is vital and sorely lacking. Participation in seminars, training,

conferences, etc. is also of importance. We probably don’t even have an inventory of all equipment, let

alone an idea of where each piece is at any given time (barricades for instance).

City employees should be consulted about better and more efficient and effective deployment of staff

as well as operational efficiencies. They are the boots on the ground and have good ideas.

Contract provisions severely limit the city’s ability to efficiently staff and assign work. The public safety

chiefs routinely express their frustration. Firefighters cannot be used to assist Code staff in building

inspections, etc.

There are certainly other options that could be explored – reducing the number of days of trash

collection in the central business district; privatizing trash collection; moving trash operations to an

enterprise fund; single side of the street trash collection, etc.