CORE WORKING GROUP REPORT TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN NY

7/31/2019 CORE WORKING GROUP REPORT TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN NY

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CORE SERVICES WORKING GROUPCORE SERVICES WORKING GROUP

Presentation to Town Board

March 1, 2012Chief of Staff Brian Beedenbender


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Core Services Working Group

Brian Beedenbender, Supervisors Office

Elizabeth Kennedy, District 1

Lori Murphy, District 2George Lessler, District 3

Liz Krolik-Alexander, District 4

Anthony Powell, District 5Lori Anne DeIulio

Casdia, District 6

Working/Support TeamInez Birbiglia

Laura Rath

Debbie Tinnirello

Stacey Epifane

Sikes


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Working Group Charge

First, the Working Group will conduct an analysisFirst, the Working Group will conduct an analysis

of what our core functions are and what ourof what our core functions are and what ourdiscretionary functions are.discretionary functions are.

Second, out of those discretionary functions, ISecond, out of those discretionary functions, Imm

asking the Group toasking the Group toprovide us with a set of policyprovide us with a set of policy

choices regarding which functions should remain,choices regarding which functions should remain,

which we should end, and which ones would bewhich we should end, and which ones would be

appropriate for public/private partnerships.appropriate for public/private partnerships.

--Supervisor MarkSupervisor Mark LeskoLesko, 2012 State of the Town, 2012 State of the Town


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Why is this important?

Mortgage taxes have dropped 73% since 2004, when

they were at a high of $37.6 million. For the past threeyears they have been budgeted at about $10 million.

Pension costs are up 42% since 2009.

Health insurance costs are up 38% since 2006 and 24%since 2008.

Early information from NYS projects a 10.8% increase in

health insurance premiums for 2013, which wouldresult in $1.3 million in increased costs in the General

Fund alone.


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There are no simple and easy solutions left

The Town has cut spending26.5% in the General Fundsince 2009.

The Town cannot continueto rely on shrinking surplus.

Without corrective action,the Town will violate the

fund balance policy in 2013by $6 -

$10 million dollars.

The Town could be close tobankrupt in 2014 and brokein 2015.

There could be a negativeeffect on our credit rating,exacerbating our financialchallenges.

2011 Tax Bill for

Town of Brookhaven Residents

School Districts66.7%

Special Districts11.8%

Suffolk County15.2%

Town of Brookhaven6.2%

*Special Districts include: fire, ambulance, erosion control, dock, library, street lighting, refuse, water,

sewer, park, etc.


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$6 - $10 million represents

A 29-48% property tax increase -

a violation

of the Town and State property tax cap law.

A loss of 87-145 employees in the General

Fund alone.

Even if the Board was willing to increase

taxes 2%, it would only provideapproximately $410,000 in increased

revenue.


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Mandated Services

NYS Town Law 2 defines a Town as:

A town is a municipal corporation comprising

the inhabitants within its boundaries, and

formed for the purpose of exercising such

powers and discharging such duties of local

government and administration of public affairsas have been, or, may be conferred or imposed

upon it by law.


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Mandated Services

The remaining services that are mandated by NYS are found in

other sections of law. Some examples are:

Real Property Tax Law

Highway Law

Agricultural & Markets Law

Public Health Law

Executive Law

State Arts & Cultural Affairs Law

Environmental Conservation Law

Domestic Relations Law

General Municipal Law


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What are we mandated to do?

Surprisingly, the answer is not much. The Town is

responsible for certain functions relating to: The Assessor

The Tax Receiver

Highways

Land Use

The Town Clerk Animal Control


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Assessor

Towns must have an Assessor and a Board of Assessment

Review.

By law the Assessor gets a six-year term.

Tax Receiver

Can be elected or appointed. An appointed Assessor can also hold the position of TaxReceiver and a Town Clerk may act as the Tax Receiver in atown of the first class or above.

While the law requires a Tax Receiver, it does not mandatethe level of service. Some towns on Long Island, like NorthHempstead, utilize a third-party (lockbox).


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Highways

All towns must have a Superintendent of Highways. Can be elected or appointed.

Once a town accepts the dedication of a roadwithin its boundaries, it must maintain it.

This includes paving, plowing, and streetlights, aswell as traffic control devices.


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Land Use

By definition, a town has authority over land useand zoning for unincorporated areas. Towns must have a Planning Board and a Board ofZoning Appeals. A town must appoint a building inspector/codeenforcement official to enforce the NYS Building

and Fire Code.

The level of service is not set by State law, butdetermined by the Town Board.


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Town Clerk

Must be elected under NYS law.

Various NYS laws mandate record

keeping, dog licensing, fishing licensing,marriage licensing, birth and death

records, and oversight of Bingo games.


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Animal Control

Agricultural & Markets Law requires that a townhave a dog control officer.

The law specifically allows a town to contract with

other municipalities to perform that function. The law requires that a town provide care forunidentified abandoned dogs for no less than three

days and for identified dogs for no less than sevendays.

The law does not require that a town pick up cats.


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What is discretionary?What is discretionary?

Senior ServicesSenior Services

Youth ServicesYouth Services

All Park ServicesAll Park Services

Waste ManagementWaste Management Economic DevelopmentEconomic Development InformationInformationTechnologyTechnology

Land Acquisition/MgmtLand Acquisition/Mgmt

Housing ServicesHousing Services

AirportAirport

Ecology SiteEcology Site

Mobility ServicesMobility Services Veterans ServicesVeterans Services WomenWomens Servicess Services HistorianHistorian

Everything elseEverything else


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How can we perform our core services better?

Policy Option 1: Create a Department of Public Works

to improve efficiency and consistency and

consolidate the Building Department into Planningand Fire Prevention into Law.


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Public Works Department

Department led by a Commissioner of Public

Works. The Commissioner may also be the TownEngineer, which, under NYS Law, comes with a

two-year term after appointment by the TownBoard.

This would require the Commissioner to be a

licensed P.E. in New York.


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Public Works Department

Buildings and Grounds

Buildings Maintenance & Custodial Management

Project Management (Engineering & Capital Projects) Space and Land Management

Traffic Safety and Streetlighting

Maintenance of traffic control devices, traffic improvements,repair of streetlights (transferring sign fabrication fromHighway should be considered)

Fleet Maintenance (excluding Waste and Highway)

Oversee fuel management, maintenance of storage tanks

Oversee the removal, impound, and redemption of vehicles

Specialized Community Services

Town Airport, Erosion Control, Dock Districts, and Ambulance,

Water, and Sewer Districts


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Transfer of Building and Fire Prevention

Building would move into Planning.

The Chief Building Inspector would oversee day-to-dayoperations and report to a Deputy Commissioner.

Building Inspectors that currently perform codeenforcement duties could move to the Law Department

to further coordinate enforcement activity. Fire Prevention would move into Law.

The Chief Fire Marshal would oversee day-to-day

operations and report to a Deputy Town Attorney.

Would increase consistency of enforcement andcompliance between Fire Marshals and the Law

Department.


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What can we save?

The reduction of two

exempt management

positions would save

approximately$180,000 in salaries

and benefits.

There could beadditional savings in

non-management

positions through

attrition andefficiencies.

Department Commissioner DeputyCommissioner

ExecutiveAssistant

Secretary Total

PELM - present format 1 2 1 1 5

PELM - w/ DPW 1 2 1 1 5

Public Safety - present

format 1 1 1 1 4

Public Safety - w/ DPW 1 1 1 0 3

Bldg. & Fire - present format 1 0 1 1 3

Bldg. & Fire - w/ DPW 0 0 0 0 0

Waste Mngmt - present

format 1 2 1 1 5

Waste Mngmt - present

format 1 2 1 1 5

Parks - present format 1 2 1 1 5Parks w/ DPW 1 1 1 1 4

DPW - present format 0 0 0 0 0

DPW - under new model 1 1 1 0 3

TotalTotal--present formatpresent format 55 77 55 55 2222

Total w/ DPWTotal w/ DPW 55 77 55 33 2020


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What public-private partnerships should be

explored with our discretionary services?

Policy Option 2: Partner with a professional company

to run the Amphitheater.


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Amphitheater CostsSince 2007, the Town has lost over $2.5 million at theSince 2007, the Town has lost over $2.5 million at the

Amphitheater.Amphitheater.

Amphitheater Expenditures & Revenue: 2007-2011

$-

$200,000

$400,000

$600,000

$800,000

$1,000,000

$1,200,000

$1,400,000

$1,600,000

$1,800,000

$2,000,000

2007 Total 2008 Total 2009 Total 2010 Total 2011 Total

Revenue Expenditures Linear (Revenue)


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Policy Option 3: Explore public-private partnerships

at our marinas, replicating the Davis Park model.


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Alternative Marina Models

Model 1-

Private operator pays the Town to take over operations

Mount Sinai Marina, Cedar Beach parking, transient docking, boat

launch, fishing pier.

Port Jefferson Marina and Stony Brook boat ramp.

Blue Point Marina, Corey (South) Marina, Sandspit

Marina, Forge

River Marina, Maple Avenue Dock, Pine Neck Dock.

RFP would allow responses for private receipt of revenue from boatslips or continued Town receipt of revenue from boat slips. Privateoperator would staff and manage the day-to-day operations.

Operator could propose additional services at the sites.


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Alternative Marina ModelsModel 2-

Town pays private vendor to manage all marinas, docks, pools

(except Mastic), and beaches

Beaches and Pools without lifeguards salary $234,000

Marinas and Docks salary $778,000

Total Salary $1,012,000

Retirement, MTA Payroll Tax, and Social

Security

$197,340

Unemployment for seasonal workers-

2009-

2011 annual average$272,338

Minimum Total Potential Savings (Benefits

plus Unemployment)

$469,678


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Policy Option 4: Re-invent our Jitney program by

partnering with private taxi companies.


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Brookhaven Jitney Program

Provides door-to-door service to Brookhaven residents 60 andover and disabled residents 18 and over, but does not provide

assistance.

Transport to and from shopping, medical appointments,government offices, and senior centers in the Town.

Service provided from 8:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday throughFriday, except for Town holidays and inclement weather.

When you include administration, fuel, maintenance, payroll,retirement contributions, and all the costs of the program,the Town spends $1.1 million dollars

a year on Jitney service.

Jitney riders pay $3 per roundtrip

transport.

The average cost of a Jitney trip is $59.50.


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Brookhaven Jitney Program

2010

All Jitney Rides Excluding TuesdayShopping Days

Tuesdays Only

Round Trip Rides 16,614 7,534 9,080

Avg. Round Trip Ridesper Day

89 39.5 178

Avg. # Drivers Per Day 13.5 12.8 17

Avg. RoundTrips/Driver/Day

5 3.09 10.5


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Project Independence

The Town of North Hempstead saved $900,000 a year bytransitioning to Project Independence.

To provide better service, they contract with four local taxicompanies.

Currently provides 12,500 round trips a year (Brookhaven-

17,000 round trips).

311 Call Center handles requests for transport and the Taxicompany schedules a pick-up time.

For medical trips, residents call the taxi company when theyare ready to be picked up and wait no longer than 30minutes.

Health aides ride for free.


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How does Project Independence work?

What do medical trips cost the resident?

Residents are charged half of the Medicaid rate. In North

Hempstead, that rate is approximately $5.00 a mile.

Residents pay half of the fee to the driver, and the taxicompany bills the Town monthly for the other half.

How do shopping trips work?

There is no charge for shopping trips.

The Town is broken up into seven geographic areas that

each have a designated shopping day.

Shopping trips occur between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

The Town pays the taxi company $30 an hour forshopping trips to designated shopping areas.


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Draft of RFP

Option 1

Town-run Model

General Model

Respondents are asked to provide

an in-zone rate for 10 zones not toexceed $7.00 and an out-of-zonerate not to exceed the MedicaidRate for each mile ($2.62).

All rides would be scheduledthrough 451-TOWN.

Cost to resident

A portion of the rate, to bedetermined.

Shopping

The Town will request a per hour

cost from vendors for shopping tripson designated days. Cost to ridersto be determined.

Estimated savings: $250,000 plusadditional revenue from auctioningbuses.

Option 2-

Senior Card Model

General Model

Cab companies establish zone

pricing and offer a discounted rateschedule to seniors that have aTown ID Card.

Seniors would contact taxicompanies directly for service.

The Senior Discount Card could beexpanded to include grocery stores,department stores, etc.

Cost to resident

Discounted rate, to be determined.

Shopping

The Town could keep a few jitneysfor shopping days or for disabledseniors.

Estimated savings: $820,000 plusadditional revenue from auctioningbuses.


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Re-inventing the Jitney Program

RFP responses willprovide the Town

with answers onwhether or not taxicompanies canaccommodate ridersin wheelchairs.

Service hours wouldbe expanded andservice could beprovided to seniors

on the weekends withoption 1 or option 2.


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Possible Option: Explore a public-private partnership

at the Animal Shelter.


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Animal Shelter

The Town of Brookhaven Animal Shelter housesapproximately 174 dogs and 40 cats.

Direct costs at the shelter, including employee benefits,Workers Compensation, materials, and utilities total $2.1million.

The Working Group visited two privatized shelters,

Southampton and Southold, to review their models. Southampton

Shelter run by Foundation with municipal animal

control officers.

Southold-

Privatized shelter and animal control officers.

Both rely heavily on outside fundraising and donations.

Both Towns partially subsidize the operations and capitalimprovements of the shelters.


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Animal Shelter

How is Brookhaven different?

Significantly more dogs-

Southold has fewer than

30 pens and Southampton has approximately 60.

Older building(s) and infrastructure.

Fewer community groups dealing with feral cats. What are the Towns options? Draft an RFP/RFQ to determine if there is aprivate organization with the financial and

operational capacity to manage the Shelter.


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Possible Option: Explore a public-private partnership

at the Airport.


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Airport

2012 operational costs total approximately $500,000 withfringe benefits.

A net loss of $303,895 is anticipated in 2012.

Landing fee-

$7.00; Tie-Down Fee -

$85.00 monthly.

64 Town tie downs in total, 27 currently leased.

Three Fixed-Based Operators with active aviation activities.

The Town recently released an RFP for the dinette at theairport. There was one respondent who withdrew.

100 acres available for development.

The Town could release an RFP seeking a manager tooperate the airport.


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Further Research

Shellfish and Wetlands

Shellfish costs -

$240,365; Wetlands costs -

$193,067.

Opportunities to partner with private organizations/

municipalities to significantly reduce costs.

Holtsville Ecology Center

Direct costs, including employee benefits, will exceed $1.2million in 2012.

North Hempstead Tax Receiver Model- Third-party (lockbox)collects taxes and processes most paperwork.

2012 Budget includes $371,767 in salary and benefits forSeasonal Tax Cashiers (not including health insurance).

From 2009-2011, the Town spent an annual average of$119,407 on unemployment costs for Seasonal Tax Cashiers.

Duplication of services between governments

Town-wide leases

Professional Service Requisitions


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Potential Savings

Potential Savings

DPW $180,000

Amphitheater TBD

Marinas $469,000

Jitney (Option 1) $250,000

Jitney (Option 2) $820,000

Total (Jitney Op. 1) $899,000

Total (Jitney Op. 2) $1,469,000

Estimated Costs of Further Research

Animal Shelter $2,100,000

Airport $303,895

Shellfish $240,365

Wetlands $193,067

Ecology Site $1,200,000

Tax Receiver $491,174

TOTAL $4,335,434

CORE WORKING GROUP REPORT TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN NY

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