The City of Kingston also has this posted on the website.
Here is the link for you to download next year's proposed budget:
http://www.kingston-ny.gov/filestorage/76/78/1007/2011_Proposed_Budget.pdf
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Sunlit Stairs At City Hall
About Me
- Andrea M "Andi" Turco-Levin Associate Real Estate Broker with Coldwell Banker Village Green Realty in Woodstock NY.
- I am a native of Kingston and involved in our community. I am a Realtor, neighbor, volunteer, and organizer. I recently served as Minority Leader and Alderman to the Common Council and continue to stay active in helping our City grow. I now serve as a Director for the Kingston Land Trust and am working with the Rail Trail Committee. I've also recently been appointed to serve as a member of the Kingston Local Development Corporation. In addition, I continue to work within our Realtor organizations as a top producing agent, previously serving as local Board President, current Grievance Committee Chairperson for the State Association, and regognized by the National Assoc. as a trained Mediator. In 2012 I was one of 15 Realtors in New York State to graduate from NYSAR's Leadership Academy.
$100,000.00 dollars in overtime at the treatment plant? I am hearing that a employee returns every night at @7pm. They stay a few minutes and leave. They get paid 3 hours overtime for this.
ReplyDeletePage 42 Network support Tech. $45,822.00 in 2010. $55,000.00 in 2011. 20% increase. Why?
ReplyDeleteWhat gives at the treatment plant? I bet they try and tell the council that it is a 24-7 operation. No one is there after 5pm except the guy raking in the OT.
ReplyDeleteI too am wondering what is going on down at the waste water treatment plant. 2 senior plant operators, one mechanic and a administrative aide I can understand. 4 laborers and one HMEO malles no sense.
ReplyDeleteWhere are there plant operators? I work in the Town of Ulster and we don't have any laborers. Plant operators run the plant. Most have there license and we have no need for an outside contracter. No wonder the sewer tax in Kingston goes up every year.
Thanks for keeping the Public informed.
ReplyDeleteWhy is there a need for a Clerk and a Senior Clerk in Bus Operations, along with a Supervisor?
ReplyDeleteWhy such an increase for Network Support Tech in 2010 $45,822 in 2011 $55,000
Why a new position of Climate Analyst at $32,565 and what is the job description for this new position
I do not know why there is such an increase in the Support Tech line, I will find out.
ReplyDeleteAs for the bus...I can't say how frustrated I get when I see our City buses running all over town with nobody inside them...what a waste.
The Climate Analyst is part of the Climate Smart Initiative that the Council passed in 2009. Grant money is to cover this position for the next year or two I believe, (not certain. I am all for conserving energy and having a 'green' mentality, but to impose further mandates, regulations, and laws which will only increase the red tape required to build is not the direction we need to take.
Remember, the Council will be holding public hearings about this budget in the upcoming weeks. If you truly want to know the details be sure to attend some of these meetings.
The bus operations should be consoldated with the County.
ReplyDeleteWas isn't the lease expense for the Mayor's Jeep under 1210 like the maintenance and fuel - did he bury that in the Sewer Tax? What is $ 1,000 travel reimbursement for - his trips to Cape Cod and Florida?
ReplyDeleteWhy is the Council getting retirement benefits to the tune of $ 9,185 ?
I saw in this mornings record that the Council has already made suggestions to get to a zero increase - great! KEEP DIGGING - ASK FOR CANCELLATION OF RAISES FROM LAST YEAR AND NEXT YEAR NOT JUST DEFERRING THEM. A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD BE IF THE MAYOR GAVE UP THAT JEEP.
ReplyDeleteShouldn't the Safety net be lowered?
ReplyDeleteWhere is the article that the Council has suggested a 0% increase?
ReplyDeleteI know you have a tough road to go through with this budget. But one item that stood out was medical coverage on average of about $18,000 per full time employee, almost regardless of salary. Plus another $1,000 for dental and $200 for opitcal. The dental and opitcal seem reasonable.
ReplyDeleteThe common council does IMHO have control in this area. You and the other council members have to use this in contract negotiations in the future. along w/the whole list of other benifits you can negotiate.
Now that was only for starters. Further review reveals even more stuff. You get the idea, Keep up the good work.
The article has maybe been hidden by the Freeman - it was in the Times Herald Record, also showed up somewhat in the Kingston Times.
ReplyDeleteAndi, I have just read with interest the story in this week's Kingston Times edition about the options the council is considering to lower the budget. Some good ideas were presented in the article: First, getting rid of the transfer station is a good idea, there are three guys sitting on thier rumps out there watching the world go by! They could best be utilized working in undermanned DPW. Second, the Human Rights dept. in Kingston should be eliminated, the county could indeed do the job! And last but not least,addressing the overtime of city employees is a must. These are all fruitful, constructive ideas by council and should ALL be implimented to make a difference. Good ideas guys!
ReplyDeleteI agree with 8:54. Except for the transfer station. I use it and the men there are always working and polite.
ReplyDeleteHuman rights department is a bust. They messed up the whole sexual harassment case and should be disbanded.
When employees pad there pensions with overtime it has to stop. Kingston Waste Water Treatment Plant has budgeted $100,000.00 in overtime for 8 people. PM check up has got to go. 3 hours overtime everyday is a waste. That's over $30,000.00.
Time for padding pensions is over at that is all that is going on there.
So do you agree with the 5 other alderman on there proposed budget cuts. The alderman have to make these cuts now as the Mayor has present the budget to the council.
ReplyDelete10:20...some of them I agree with, others I am not convinced that we can do at the current time. I will go into details soon.
ReplyDeleteWell the budget is in the Council's hands not the Mayor's anymore.
ReplyDeleteGive up the Jeep
ReplyDelete