The city’s Director of Public Facilities Jorge Garcia, in a letter to the Board of Education, writes that the consolidation of BOE Operations and city Public Facilities has resulted in roughly $1 million in operational savings for the BOE. The school board is undertaking a review of the department merger. Garcia’s letter:
Merging of the City’s Public Facilities Department with the Board of Education’s Building Operations Department has resulted in savings for City taxpayers, significant improvements in our school buildings, and enhancing the educational environment for our students. Parents, administrators, and teachers have overwhelmingly supported the consolidation through communications with the Director of Public Facilities. Terminating this merger will put an end to the positive progress and momentum achieved in a short period of time.
In the past, taxpayers have supported two separate departments that serve similar functions. Through unprecedented collaboration between the City administration and the Board of Education, the Departments were merged to create a more transparent and efficient service delivery system.
By consolidating, the Departments were able to eliminate 33 Building Operations positions, including a reduction of management staff from nine to three. This has resulted in a management savings of approximately $280,000.
Further cost saving initiatives implemented since the merger include:
· City landscaping resources resulted in a savings of approximately $40,000 in operating costs as of December 2013, with an additional $40,000 in savings for the remainder of the fiscal year.
· Consolidation of waste removal resulted in a first year savings of $265,000 and will save $160,000 each year.
· Consolidated Trades resource savings of approximately $50,000
· Consolidation of snow removal resources resulted in saving over $135,000 during Storm Nemo.
· Use of Roadway resources resulted in:
o $13,000 for hot and cold patch
o $12,000 for sweepers
o $35,000 for striping for parking lots and sign repair and replacementThese initiatives have attracted interest from other municipalities throughout the State.
In total, the merger of the two departments has resulted in approximately $1 million in operating savings for the Board of Education. Since the consolidation, the City administration has allocated $1.8 million for Capital improvements in school buildings.
In addition to tangible savings, the merger has resulted in significant improvements to the conditions of the schools and their grounds involving the entire community while utilizing the schools as hubs. Examples are:
· A multi-year project was initiated to improve the playgrounds and playscapes at schools. New playscapes have already been installed at Curiale and Dunbar Schools.
· Park City Schools and Community Alliance, a collaborative effort between the Building Operations and Parks Departments in partnership with non-profit community organizations such as Green Village Initiative, Groundwork Bridgeport, BuildOn and others, 22 school gardens growing fresh produce for students and the community have been built. In conjunction with the Park City Schools and Community Alliance, several neighborhood cleanups have been held on weekends in the spring and fall to improve the condition of the neighborhoods surrounding our schools. Additional projects are scheduled for the Spring.
Board of Education Building Operation staff members have assisted City Public Works crews with snow removal and pothole filling operations, improving the quality of our school grounds.
The merger has successfully improved the conditions of the buildings our children use daily, while reducing Board of Education allocations for facilities. In considering maintaining this merger, I urge you to evaluate the needs of students, staff, and parents, as well as the holistic effect it has had and will continue to have on the City of Bridgeport.
There is no valid reason to split from Public Facilities. Why would we want to duplicate services? There can only be one answer and that is handing out contracts to friends on the BOE. I challenge the BOE to provide reasons why going back to the way it was and duplicating services is better for the city.
*** Those number$ sound a bit padded, however you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize the savings to the BOE who’s always crying for more money are worth having the merger with P/F. What next? ***
Come on, Andy. Jorge Garcia says he saved a million dollars and you believe him like he is the voice of God. Give me a break. Have you and JML stopped eating your OATs?
Based on a letter from the department head who claims to have performed this miracle. So in others words city taxpayers are footing the bill?
Bob Walsh,
OATs stands for Open Accountable and Transparent as you know. It seems to me Jorge Garcia is attempting to practice OATs with this disclosure. He is not the voice of God, and he is not a miracle worker.
But he is willing to put up some facts and numbers that can be checked and verified (or not). That is something worthwhile in Bridgeport governance where too often there is a “no comment,” “we’ll get back to you,” “there is no such info” or “why don’t you write an FOI request?” response.
If the citizen-taxpayer must TRUST but VERIFY then Mr. Garcia’s open letter is a good example of a worthy response. City taxpayers are footing many bills these days. They have paid for a revaluation by Vision Appraisal whose results have been provided to the City but HAVE NOT BEEN SHARED with taxpayers. Where is your outrage, Bob? What will you do about that? There are some folks in the City in positions of responsibility who understand their duties at work and attempting to produce efficiencies and effectiveness every day. Where does the City keep track of employee evaluations and department inefficiencies? Where are City employee time card records for those who are Council Members? Why did the stipend policy change without any paperwork to explain per the FOIA request?
And Bob, since you raised my activity along with Andy, what “rule book” are you playing with today regarding BOE Committee meetings? I want to trust but need a little verification after seeing the Finance meeting and then seeing the start of the Facilities meeting. Perhaps you know something about this? Time will tell.
Mr. Walsh,
I don’t think I’ve ever read a single posting from you that didn’t reek of negativity. Why so cynical and critical all the time? Do you wake up on the wrong side of the bed every day?
Below is a link to some studies performed on the topic of having police officers in schools. These are some studies you can review on your own and come up with your own conclusions–I only provide this link to my blog to promote more critical thinking about this issue. Also, whereas I bring up a social and mental health perspective, there are other ways to view this issue as well (e.g., budgets). I hope the link can be informative and check out the Blog. Here’s the link.
socialecologicalresearch.tumblr.com/post/73641588964/police-officers-in-schools
Bob, I never said I believed the numbers but I did say I am in favor of the consolidation. It does save money when things are bought in bulk.
Now for the BOE to want this back under their purview makes me wonder. Our past history shows a very good likelihood an exclusive group will financially gain when purchasing contracts and jobs are given out. Bob, I never believe in savings amounts posted by the city or its departments.
BLI, Bottom Line It is what we say in private business all the time. Don’t talk to me about anything but real savings.
“In total, the merger of the two departments has resulted in approximately $1 million in operating savings for the Board of Education.”
Can you read this? This is the city’s $1 million dollars in reduced MBR payments to the BOE for in-kind services. That is all this is. This Bill Finch making hiring and contracting decisions and not the BOE. This is what it is all abut. I cannot believe the two of you cannot see this for what it is. Pure political BS. And I am sure if pushed you would find your good buddy Tom Sherwood put these numbers together.
The state should insist these in-kind numbers are audited and if they fall short then the city must kick in the difference.
And JML, what are you talking about as far as my rulebook with the BOE?
I never served on the BOE. I served on the City Council. I knew the City Council rules but devoted so much time to the council I never had time for BOE meetings let alone committee meetings so I have no idea what you are talking about. I do not claim to know everything about everything.
Bob,
Thank you for your personal statement: “I do not claim to know everything about everything.” That is a safe claim for each of us. It also leads to the conclusion we need each other:
** to know facts and history that impinge on activity and issues facing us today;
** to understand community goals, objectives and priorities and to monitor them faithfully over time;
** to serve as objective watchdogs over governance activities and the use of taxpayer funds;
** to pursue healthy check and balance safeguards in municipal governance;
** to attend City Council, Board and Commission meetings of all kinds and read the records that are posted to archives to assure a clear and consistent public record is available.
These are things those not in elected office must take seriously as a group. We must also be sure to keep our own processes Open, Accountable and Transparent by sharing results and opportunities.
My specific question for you Bob Walsh was to see whether your experience with the City Council rules, or experiences with BOE behavior in the past couple years provided you with a platform to comment on BOE Facilities Chair John Bagley’s running of the Committee meeting last Tuesday. I am very much in favor of community input on topics being considered by municipal bodies. However, the opportunities should be known in advance, allow equal opportunity for all parties to participate and leave time for the body to pursue its own agenda items. Otherwise chaos results as emotions are raised and respect for constituted authority and rules is undercut.
Like to hear your comments based on your experience and sense of public decorum, please. Time will tell.
There will always be politics involved in everything this city does. Why is that? Because people in decision-making positions have no courage. There is no fear of prosecution as the policing agencies could not find a boob in a bra.
Bob, do you have the paperwork that details what you have written here or is this another approximation by you? I don’t care what you or others say, combining city operations that are in fact duplications of each other is a good thing.
How much of PFD $$$ did Garcia waste Sat when PFD crews were called in and only salted roads from 9 AM ’til 9 PM? What a joke!