The Town of Mamaroneck will be celebrating its' 350th Birthday this year. We are planning a few commemorative events to mark the occasion. Suggestions are always welcome. It might be a good time to reflect on what we are doing right and what we should be doing differently as far as Town Government is concerned. Realize, of course, that we don't make these decisions strictly on our own. The State plays a major role in what we can and cannot do.
Beside regularly hearing, what we should do, I would like sometime to hear about what we do too much of, or what we can do without. We are always very reluctant to cut or change services.
A feeling has begun growing in my thoughts that perhaps, as an example, we don't need Street Crossing Guards at all the locations we currently have them, especially during Lunch Hours. Many schools don't permit their students to leave the premises for lunch. It costs the Town about $15,000 a year for each guard. I have heard that it would not provide the guards enough work time, for it to be worth their while to work just mornings and when school lets out at 3:00 pm. Can we find something productive for them to do between shifts or look for guards that might be happy to work the reduced hours at a lower per-diem.
Thoughts and comments welcome.
Ernie
posted by Ernie Odierna @ 8:31 PM
6 Comments:
Very good thoughts and thought provoking questions.
Yes, why do we have Crossing Guards at each location we do? Although some perhaps will advocate for more. Would traffic calming measures such as curb extensions substitute at some locations? Other than State law and union contracts, as they may currently exist, why does the Town rather than the School District pay for the Crossing Guards as the school district pays for any required busing. Perhaps some school staff could do both Crossing Guard functions and administrative or maintenance functions especially if Crossing Guard hours were reduced. Or perhaps this should be a PTA function.
How many children are actually served by the Crossing Guards? Why should the Town or the School District pay for Crossing Guards for an off-premises lunch time; could that period be shortened and instructional time be increased? Does the $15,000 for each Crossing Guard represent their current income, their current total compensation or their total compensation including deferred costs, infamous "mandates"?
BTW, what’s the “bigger” number, the total compensation including deferred costs for all Crossings Guards and related expenses incurred by the Town each year?
Those who use the "service", any service that’s “free” will argue loudly for continuing and expanding it. Those who don't use various services may not realize the costs. Representative government must make some hard choices, spending not more than its constituents can afford. And the Town Government can "influence" the State through its voice and its representatives, so it should not use a simple excuses for inaction.
And here's something the “Town” does too much of: too many sanitation pickups. A previous poster here mentioned much of this so credit where credit is due. It used to be two pick-ups/week; now lost count, as recycling, a good thing, has distributed the trash. Let’s cut the number of each type of pick-up in half. We skip some pick-ups on holiday weeks. Why not all weeks? And as most pick-ups are curb-side, why not all? And let’s find out if it would be cheaper to contract with a private company for the services; could slow the growth of those hated “mandates”!
Got us thinking. Why is the Town in the real estate business? Why is the Town in the business of providing "below market rate" parking to owners of market rate co-op and condominium apartments while taxing home owners for parking spaces on their property?
For example, could the Town enter into a long term lease of the Myrtle Blvd. 24-hour parking facility with a private operator? Also, possibly include a land-lease for the space occupied by the "Town Branch Office" shack and some "air rights"?
The Town would not have the maintenance expense (including snow removal costs) for the parking structure and would not incur the expenses of permitting and patrolling it. The private operator could obtain fair markets rates for parking, whatever they would be. Maybe even relieve some of the "out-of-town" street parking issues that some residents complain of, as the private operator might find a profitable way of offering them parking along with market rate parking for apartment owners.
The town might be able to structure the lease payments to bring its "reserve" or "surplus" funds back towards the Board's goal levels and possibly help to maintain the Town's municipal bond ratings and control its interest expenses.
At the least, shouldn't we find out the market value of the facility so we know what we're dealing with?
As the previous poster said, the 100-odd users of the facility would likely object, but that's a very small portion of the Town. Perhaps it's not "PC" either. But you did ask what "we", presumably the Town, do too much of, this might be one of those things.
Your thoughts?
The Towns' budget for Street Crossing Guards in 2011 is $226,855. The daily rate per guard is $71.00. There is also an office assistant and a medical allowance included in the total cost. Altogether we have 12 School Guards and 3 "part time" guards.
We are in the process of determining the various school policies on student lunch time release. No "count" has been made as to the number of children crossing at the intersections where a guard has been assigned. A good idea for a project. Perhaps our PTA's or other citizen volunteers can step forward and do a count for us. It varies, of course, according to the season and the weather.
Ernie
Councilman, did you purposely lead us to water and are asking us to drink or was your example a fortunate coincidence? In either case our thanks, but we expect it was the former.
It seems your posting was not simply about Crossing Guards but about Management 101.
Who is managing the Crossing Guard function? What is the Town Council doing to assure proper management on this and other items?
It appears that Town Crossing Guards utilization and placement is based on the anachronistic situation of one car in every garage.
What do the Villages in the Town and what do other Westchester County municipalities do on this?
Approximately $1/4 million of Town property taxes a year of controllable costs without measurements for management.
Approximately $1/4 million of Town property taxes a year expended without review of alternatives that could be more effective and cost efficient.
Approximately $1/4 million of Town property taxes a year spent without knowing whether the Crossing Guards are effectively positioned for current patterns or whether the annual approximately 1/4 million dollars an year might be used to provide more safety for children and other residents if used differently.
The Crossing Guards may be very important. But seems we don't know.
And we can't expect volunteers to measure the inefficiency of what may/may not benefit them but not necessarily others in the Town.
We need answers now. We don't have money left to be wasted if we ever did.
Ongoing, perhaps you've identified a very good opportunity for MHS junior or senior year internships in government efficiency. Benefits for the education of the students involved; benefits for the Town. Win-Win.
Please follow here in your blog and in other local news sources with others suggestion as to where else should we and the Council should be looking for improvements.
Many thanks again.
Maybe we don't need the existing Town Center. Got lost in there. Big halls, big empty courtroom, whole lot of separate offices with separate reception desks and lots of file cabinets. Anybody heard of Iron Mountain?
Maybe the Town could share space with one of the Villages, with the Senior Center, in the Madison Ave. building (do you know when it will be built?) or maybe go in the old Chase Bank near the Larchmont train station?
Has anybody considered any possibilities that would be cheaper, more functional and more convenient for residents?
Very interesting post Ernie. How about "sponsoring" crossing guards? As a business owner and member of the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce I can tell you that we are always looking for additional marketing and promotional outlets. Perhaps some businesses might be interested in doing this which is a win-win scenario: business gets exposure while town gets in extra revenue.
I'm sure there will be some hurdles such as the legality of the issue, and of course the actual price tag for that sort of sponsorship but it might be worth the research and time...
Cheers
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