County makes steps toward consolidation of small departments
NORWICH – It has been three years in the making, but an effort to consolidate two county government departments appears well on its way despite continuing opposition.
The Chenango County Board of Supervisors shaved back personnel expenses in the 2012 Traffic Safety Board and Stop DWI budgets, two separate departments that share a part-time manager. Though a small move – with savings of only about $13,000 annually (plus fringe benefits) – it has been debated, proposed and tabled within government standing committees on several occasions since 2009.
The TSB administers defensive driving courses and uses the revenues for radio and television advertising campaigns and to sponsor youth groups that promote safe driving. It also accepts applications for the Stop DWI department’s revenues, which are collected from drunk driving violations. Municipalities and other county departments have tapped into that funding stream for equipment, such as patrol cars, cameras, drug testing kits; patrol overtime expenses; and programs like ceremonies for graduates of the Alternatives for Incarceration program, otherwise known as drug court.
The county board recently received a communication from Traffic Safety Board Chairman Harold Ives protesting cuts to TSB Executive Secretary and Stop DWI Coordinator Jan Miles’ part-time salaries. Miles earned $24,400 for both roles in 2011 before seeing her salary decrease by more than half this year.
Ives wrote in a Jan. 6 letter to the board that the TSB “would like to request a review of the cuts made and seek restoration of the salaries.”
No action was taken on the letter, however. Following a motion made by David C. Law, R-Norwich, and seconded by longtime chairman of the Personnel Committee, Wayne Outwater, R-Lincklaen, it was simply received and filed. The county’s compensation schedule is typically not readjusted nor reopened unless a position becomes vacant.
Supervisor Jerry Kreiner, R-Plymouth, a long time member of the Personnel Committee and now its chairman, said Miles’ compensation was established to reflect her pending retirement later this year. Miles announced during budgeting time for 2012 that she intended to step down in June or July. She has been TSB secretary since 1995 and Stop DWI coordinator since 2004.
“No decision has been made about consolidating the two departments, but I would hope they would be,” said Kreiner. “The work in these (two departments) now is not extensive. I’m thinking it could be easily absorbed into another department or function without the need for added head count.”
Kreiner has been very vocal in his opposition to Miles’ salary and two part-time jobs for the county, and has carefully scrutinized revenues from defensive driving classes and all requests for Stop DWI revenues. He garnered support from a handful of other supervisors and, though unsuccessful, lead a charge in 2010 to zero out both departments’ budget lines.
A call to Ives was not returned by press time.
The Chenango County Board of Supervisors shaved back personnel expenses in the 2012 Traffic Safety Board and Stop DWI budgets, two separate departments that share a part-time manager. Though a small move – with savings of only about $13,000 annually (plus fringe benefits) – it has been debated, proposed and tabled within government standing committees on several occasions since 2009.
The TSB administers defensive driving courses and uses the revenues for radio and television advertising campaigns and to sponsor youth groups that promote safe driving. It also accepts applications for the Stop DWI department’s revenues, which are collected from drunk driving violations. Municipalities and other county departments have tapped into that funding stream for equipment, such as patrol cars, cameras, drug testing kits; patrol overtime expenses; and programs like ceremonies for graduates of the Alternatives for Incarceration program, otherwise known as drug court.
The county board recently received a communication from Traffic Safety Board Chairman Harold Ives protesting cuts to TSB Executive Secretary and Stop DWI Coordinator Jan Miles’ part-time salaries. Miles earned $24,400 for both roles in 2011 before seeing her salary decrease by more than half this year.
Ives wrote in a Jan. 6 letter to the board that the TSB “would like to request a review of the cuts made and seek restoration of the salaries.”
No action was taken on the letter, however. Following a motion made by David C. Law, R-Norwich, and seconded by longtime chairman of the Personnel Committee, Wayne Outwater, R-Lincklaen, it was simply received and filed. The county’s compensation schedule is typically not readjusted nor reopened unless a position becomes vacant.
Supervisor Jerry Kreiner, R-Plymouth, a long time member of the Personnel Committee and now its chairman, said Miles’ compensation was established to reflect her pending retirement later this year. Miles announced during budgeting time for 2012 that she intended to step down in June or July. She has been TSB secretary since 1995 and Stop DWI coordinator since 2004.
“No decision has been made about consolidating the two departments, but I would hope they would be,” said Kreiner. “The work in these (two departments) now is not extensive. I’m thinking it could be easily absorbed into another department or function without the need for added head count.”
Kreiner has been very vocal in his opposition to Miles’ salary and two part-time jobs for the county, and has carefully scrutinized revenues from defensive driving classes and all requests for Stop DWI revenues. He garnered support from a handful of other supervisors and, though unsuccessful, lead a charge in 2010 to zero out both departments’ budget lines.
A call to Ives was not returned by press time.
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