We require the developer who constructs the street to include the lighting as part of the cost of construction, because it's my understanding the Streets Department policy is that new streets constructed for residential, the developer pays the cost of that construction. So we include lighting as part of that construction cost.
Mr. Doyle, how aggressive a program do you have? What's the relationship with Risk Management? I see a lot of our utility poles, they're attached to PECO poles, struck by a vehicle or I see the 135 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 decorative lights on Kelly Drive that are hit by motor vehicles. How do we recover the costs of that damage? COMMISSIONER TOLSON: We have a fairly aggressive program working with our own internal transportation administration, as well as Risk Management, to recover the cost for accidents, automobile crashes and the like, from the insurance companies, whether it be for traffic poles or street poles.
So if a traffic signal is knocked down, there is a process where the police report and your -- COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Yes.
We really do recover? COMMISSIONER TOLSON: We certainly ask that of the Risk Management Department, because we feel that there is some recourse. Now, certainly if someone crashes and flees a location, we can't 136 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 follow up with that, but we do look at the reports and we take the data and ask that we recover the cost. We compile the costs and we submit that for recovery.
You're welcome. Again, I hate to get back to this, but I am. You tell me that with new development, the developer is responsible for the construction of the streets, the sidewalk and street lighting. How does that change with what we're being asked to do for River City? Isn't it the same thing? Aren't we being asked to provide something more to some developers than we are others and it depends on what section of the City you're talking about? Is that what we're talking about?
I 137 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 think you do. I think you do. I think I may be putting you in a bind by answering. I asked about the street lighting, and I think your response to me was that the developer in new residential areas does the streets, the sidewalk and the lighting. However, we're being asked to approve $150,000, I believe it is -- 125 million -- excuse me. It's a big difference -- for River City. What is the difference? We're going to be developing some areas, I assume, where developers will be treated a little differently than developers in another area. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Madam President, my understanding of the River City money, it's going to be used essentially for water-related infrastructure.
Well, what difference does it matter whether it's water infrastructure or whether it's something three blocks away from the 138 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 location that you're referring to? I mean, it's residential. If it's residential, it's residential no matter where it's located, whether it be on the water or three blocks away from the water.
The development that is in the planning stages, for the most part right now, is in areas of the City where there is no residential development right now. For example --
The development that's under consideration to be benefited by this new River City money is located in areas of the City where there is essentially no residential development right now. For example, the Tacony Warehouse site, the Northern Shipping site, the site just directly north of the Tacony Bridge, the Dodge Steel site, as well as the Philly Coke site, they're all located in areas of the City where there 139 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 is no current residential development and where there hasn't been any residential development. So it's to support that kind of development, new development, development in new areas of the City, development of new residential communities.
I don't know the areas that you're talking about. I really don't. I'm not familiar with them, but my gut feeling tells me that it just isn't fair that some developers are being asked to do precisely what we went through earlier and others, because there is no 17 residential area around them, are then going to be the benefactor of having the streets done, the curbs and sidewalks, the lighting. Do you think that's fair?
Madam President, my understanding is, we're not going to be using that funding for streets, curbing and lighting.
Well, 140 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 what is it going to be used for? See, again I say, this has been an issue since last year, and we have been promised briefings. I have yet to hear of a briefing that was held on this, unless some people know and others don't. But I don't know how we vote in the blind on something as important as this. And unless we get a briefing and we are fully informed on a lot of these issues, I don't see how Councilpeople in good conscience can vote. It makes me very frustrated. It really does. I'm not going to continue on this. Councilman Kenney, if you're as frustrated as I am, you can ask a question.
My life is frustrated, so what are you going to do? You just get used to it after a while; that's all. After six years, you get used to it. Two more is not long to go.
Well, 141 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 I think I've been around a little more than six years, and I don't remember --
No; six years of frustration. There's two more to go and you're done. Ms. Reed testified earlier in a question from Council President Verna relative to the cash flow of the Capital Fund, and I believe the number she had indicated was about 208 million, if I remember her response. Could you come back? So it's your position that there's $208 million in cash in the Capital Fund?
When you say "cash," I tend to think of cash flow that's in 142 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 our combined cash flow.
Why then would on January 24th the Administration send up Resolution 060018 requesting authorization to do a negotiated private sale on GO bonds, with a potential total of about $450 million? Also, in the Office of Director of Finance, cash flow projections we see from 2005 actual through 2006 estimate, Capital improvement dollars from July 31st at 61.6 million, steadily declining down to a low of 11.7 million in February, the end of February this year, and then a bump on March 31st of $203.7 million? Now, it would indicate to me both this projection and this requested action indicates a lack of cash. If you need to privately negotiate these bonds in a sale as opposed to bid them, which is another way of doing it, and if we're down to 11.7 million in cash flow in the Capital Fund and all the sudden March 31st it goes to 203 million projected, 143 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 that would indicate to me some type of going to the market to borrow more money. Now, if you're sitting on 208 million, why do you need to potentially sell $450 million worth of debt and why does it seem that you're going to be going to the market again at the end of March for another 203?
I forgot to identify myself before. Dianne Reed, Budget Director. The carry-forward money is partially cash and partially authorization. I should have made that correction. We would have to get back to you on the specifics, and I think it may be appropriate to ask your question about that transaction of the Finance Director when he comes tomorrow to talk about the loan authorization, because I am not involved with that.
We could get you something in writing, but I can't 144 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 comment.
I appreciate that. And the other issue is, when does the Administration anticipate the City will borrow the balance of the Free Library renovation funds, which total $20 million? And is that a separate GO borrowing? Is that going through an agency? Is that done through Water Revenue funds? Where is that coming from?
It was a separate offering, I think. Wasn't it last June? Yes. We think that happened last June, but we'll have to get back to you on that.
I appreciate the answer to those two. Madam President, is there anyone else that's in line to ask questions? Because I had one area that may go --
Yes. 145 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 Councilman Clarke --
No. I'll wait and come back, because I want to start a whole new subject.
Are you sure? I need the Recreation Commissioner. I want to just preface this by saying that one of the things that I notice within the Recreation Department that's different from the suburbs, and which is increasingly aggravating to me, is the condition of our grass playing fields. You and I have had discussions about this. We talked with Tom Fox about it on a number of occasions. And I recognize that because of the amount of use that those facilities get 12 months a year, there's never any downtime -- it's either baseball, then it's football, then it's soccer -- we wind up with our grass facilities being predominantly dust 146 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 balls. And because of the way in which we play our athletics now, we have a lot of suburban people come in to Philadelphia and a lot of our Philadelphia teams through the rec leagues and through private athletic associations that go into the suburbs, and it is an amazing disparity among the condition of the fields. As part of the recreation assessment, has it been incorporated into how we seed, weed, irrigate and maintain our fields so that we don't have to have our children ducking with their eyes closed after every football play to keep the dust from out of their eyes? And the other thing I need you to address is, we've been able to privately find funds to get, with cooperation of the Department, very good cooperation with the maintenance people, tremendous -- I mean, again, as I've said before, this Department, Recreation Department, they have a mission and they 147 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 understand what it is, and they're willing to do anything they can to get it done. So when we provide private dollars to seed or to fertilize or to irrigate and I drive by a rec facility in the middle of the summer during an amazing drought and I have a private contractor mowing the dust of the field we just seeded in the spring, where I had to get out of the car and wave the guy down and say, Stop mowing the dust, because there's nothing left to mow. But that's my job. That's the contract. I have to -- Stop. Give it a couple months to grow. I need to know how we get our grass field facilities, despite its overuse and despite our underfunding, to a point where we can have people come in and play and have our kids be proud of where they do their athletics. COMMISSIONER RICHARD: Vic Richard, Recreation Commissioner. 148 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 I think that's a great question. I appreciate you bringing it up. Last year is the first year that we implemented the grass-cutting turf management operation, along with Fairmount Park. We've never been in a position as a City agency to put the fields to the level that you'd like to be. One of the things that I've been proposing very quietly is, we needed to look at the high-volume use. A lot of municipal facilities around the country are creating a more controlled athletic field based on its intended use. And what I mean by "controlled" is that it's locked. It's strictly scheduled out, where you have the capacity to control the traffic based on what's the intended use. Some of the other things that I'm looking at and proposing is that some facilities across the City do become that 149 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 way and not constantly used for the high-level competition league play and also for everyday practice. Another consideration that I've been proposing as well is to look at what's going on in the rest of the country, and they're going to artificial turf. So we haven't --
The School District has also gone to that. The field up at Northeast is a phenomenal facility and its turf is just tremendously conditioned. COMMISSIONER RICHARD: Correct. And it's a controlled environment. So I don't believe the City from the time that I've been here has actually dedicated and laid the City out that way, and that is something that I think with the input of the communities, along with the staff knowledge that I have, the athletic associations across and also along with the input of the Planning Commission, that we could 150 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 accomplish as a City to designate certain individual fields across the City for the high level of play and then leave the other fields. We will maintain them as best we can, but they would be used strictly for the every day, not high-end league play.
Was any of these fields part of the facility assessment or was it just buildings? COMMISSIONER RICHARD: I'm not sure.
Rick Tustin, Capital Program Office. Yes. The facility assessment looked at all the playing fields, as well as the buildings, the play areas, tennis courts, basketball courts. It was all included in the facility assessment. They also provided us a rating on the quality of the fields itself and they gave us an estimate on what it would cost to bring it up to, again, a standard level of acceptability. 151 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 What it didn't do is, it didn't come back with recommendations on what fields may be modified to artificial turf as opposed to the way it is right now. That would be more of a departmental operating decision, not really an assessment.
I'd be interested in keeping me at least and other members that are interested up to date on what's going on. It's just one of those kind of burrs in your saddle that you see every time you attend an athletic event, that you got to go take a bath because of the dust that's just blowing all over the place. COMMISSIONER RICHARD: And I appreciate you saying and presenting the question, because I have been quietly talking about it but now publicly we have been, more in the last 12 months, especially because of the contract. In a city of this size, there should be designated high-end little 152 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 league facilities for each particular sport. And I believe with the leadership of the individual Councilpeople, also with the leadership of the community people, but the Planning Commission as well, the City can -- we can get to that point. This area or this particular field is for little league football. This field is strictly designated for this age group in either baseball, softball or whatever. I believe we can get to that point. It's going to take a little bit of work, but we need it. The City hadn't been laid out that way.
And I want to thank you and your people at the Department. They're so cooperative and so helpful, and they work on a shoestring. And a lot of the money that we put in other places, if we put it in the Recreation Department, we would solve a lot of issues, after-school programs, all kinds of issues that we spend 153 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 extraneous money on. If the Recreation Department were funded operationally and Capital-wise the way it should be, a lot of our other policing problems and crime issues would go away. Because sometimes I feel like we overlap on top of the Recreation Department four other layers of services that the Recreation people know how to provide, have provided for years and have actually a personal mission to provide, because they don't make a lot of money and they do a lot of work. I just want to just finalize with a comment relative to the people that have testified here. I want to thank you. I know you're all good, decent public servants who care nothing more than taking care of the people of this City. I've worked with everybody for -- Council President Verna and others have worked with you people for years and years, and I know sometimes it gets difficult, because you're trying to 154 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 explain a policy that you didn't make or you didn't decide. So some stuff that comes off the second floor that you have to come up here and defend, I appreciate the efforts in which you do it, and I hope sometimes our questions aren't offensive, but we know how hard you work and appreciate your efforts. Thanks. Thank you.
And I think we would all echo that, Commissioner. Thank you. Are you finished?
Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. Real quickly, I'm actually going to need to ask the Streets Commissioner a question. And, Mr. Tustin, actually, I was going to ask a similar question that Councilman DiCicco asked about a Police 155 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 Department, police facility in my district. The police facility at 17th and Montgomery that houses both the 22nd and the 23rd Police Districts, I'm not sure how old it is, but I must admit publicly that in my very, very early youth, I actually had occasion to kind of pass through there real briefly. It was a mistake. So I know that it has some mileage on it. And I've talked to the captains in that particular locale and they actually quietly say that there's some concerns about the condition of the facility, but they're not going to obviously ask whomever they should ask to get a new facility. Can you look at that facility? Because I don't know what the use of a public facility is, but that thing has to be getting up there in years, and the condition is really dismal. Also, in that particular location, because of the need for student housing, the land in that area is 156 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 extremely valuable. I had actually talked to some of the neighbors and some of the community leaders up there, and there was actually some thought that we could possibly move that station and build a new facility on Cecil B. Moore Avenue, where we own public land. It would better accommodate the police, because their current condition, their cars are all over the place. There's not adequate parking. They're pulling out of the police station in a residential area, and if we put it on Cecil B. Moore Avenue, it's a commercial corridor. There's more land to build a reasonable facility. I believe that that land would quickly be purchased by a developer who would do some student housing, because that's what's going on in that particular area. So can you do a similar assessment on that for me, please?
The other 157 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 question with respect to the Streets Department and their bridge analysis, again talking about my Council District. And the Streets Commissioner, my good friend, who last year took my trash day. We got over it, so I'm not going to beat you up. I must say I was extremely tempted to bring the issue up yesterday when Chief of Staff Wilkerson mentioned it yesterday. I almost jumped out of my chair, but I've calmed down. COMMISSIONER TOLSON: I appreciate your control.
Plus, we talked earlier today, so... Commissioner, with respect to the analyses that are done on bridges throughout the City, and understanding some bridges are actually state owned -- COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Yes.
-- and maybe some even are owned by railways and some are City owned, is the Streets Department Bridge Division responsible 158 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 for coordinating the analysis? And the reason I ask that, in my district, we recently completed a bridge on 29th Street, did a very good job, between Sedgley and Glenwood, new bridge, grass. It looks real good, but just south of that on Montgomery Avenue, there are places where you can actually see the train tracks below if you look carefully, because the bridge is deteriorating extremely quickly, and I'm a little concerned that that may not be on the radar screen and who would be responsible for determining the condition and subsequent -- COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Yes. We have a team of inspectors that are inspecting bridges like Montgomery Avenue, and it is on our radar screen. I don't have the timeline here, but I will get information for you with regard to what's going to happen with that bridge.
Because, I mean, they did the one on Oxford Street 159 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 and the one on 29th Street, but this little bridge is sitting in the middle and it has to be like from not the last century but the century prior to that, given some of the workmanship on that bridge. So if you can kind up give me -- COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Yes. I'll get you the information.
As soon as possible. COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Actually, I have it here in front of me. I'm sorry. Construction starts the end of '07.
I'm sorry? COMMISSIONER TOLSON: The construction starts the end of '07.
That would be great if that can start in like April of '07. Maybe we can have an announcement in April of '07. COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Okay. 160 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002
That would be great. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not sure where this question should be directed, but since you're involved with Capital programs. In the facilities assessment, your office conducted that, right?
I go to police stations, but for a different reason than Councilman Clarke went. I stop by occasionally. But the cleanliness -- and I know that there's a security issue. Could you explain the process? I pulled into one police station, and I won't name names because I 161 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 don't want to embarrass the captain at that district, but the fuel pump, the trash can was just overflowing, there were soda bottles thrown all around. Because they're a police station, I think that the thought is that it doesn't get many visitors. But I'd be embarrassed. If I had a visiting police officer from someplace else and took them on a tour of some of our facilities, I'd be terribly embarrassed. The trash was all over the place. The place looked like a pigpen.
Councilman, if I could just stop you for one minute. I'm going to have to see if either the Police or Public Property are here to address that question, because the Capital Program Office doesn't really get involved in the day-to-day maintenance, cleaning, trash removal.
But when you do an assessment, isn't there provisions for trash and receptacles and things like 162 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 that?
The assessment that we look at or we do more or less addresses the physical condition of the structure itself, not trash receptacles and things like that. We have in the past, when we've done newer facilities, included areas for compactors and things like that to address those operating issues, but on the older facilities, when we do an assessment, we focus on the physical condition of the building itself or the site itself, not necessarily on that issue. But I think somebody from Police is here.
Fine, but let me get to the next point. I went to one police district not too long ago where one of the restrooms was down for almost three months and they had to use the ladies' room for both the men and the women's, and the captain said to me he's basically given up on trying to get any service. 163 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 I mean, are police stations perceived as being places that only the bad people go?
Not in my mind, Councilman. I believe they're as important as any other municipal building that we have. Concerning whether a restroom is down and out of service, it's a maintenance issue that has to be addressed, and, again, our department doesn't address maintenance issues, but we probably do have the appropriate people here to answer those questions.
So I guess the question I ask is, at a City facility -- forget a police station for a minute. Firehouses, that's a whole different world. But the police stations, boy, I'll tell you. So whoever you suggest to come up and could answer that question and do we have a program would be greatly appreciated.
Because I was under the impression the police are responsible, the Public Property is not. I don't know who is on first. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Deputy Commissioner Jack Gaittens, Police Department. Yes, sir. With regard to your first question, as far as the trash collection goes, Monday through Friday on daywork we have civilian custodians that work in each of the police facilities, and they are responsible to make sure that the place is cleaned up and trash is emptied. On the weekends, we utilize the personnel that work in the CCTV in the turnkey position, and they do some limited clean-ups there. With regards to the facilities as far as, say, a bathroom being out of service, we use our teletype and we request a repair order through Public Property. Generally speaking, we get very good cooperation with Public 165 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 Property. However, they only have a certain amount of people, and it goes in a list. As to where you come in on that list, it varies.
Well, the point being is, you go to a police district and the officers are conscientious. They check the oil in their patrol vehicle. They use a piece of paper towel. Well, they look around and there's nothing, so it gets thrown behind the gas pump. You know. You've been to these places. I'm not blowing smoke. You know I'm telling that's how it is. And, first of all, a trash receptacle, in my opinion, shouldn't be at a fueling location. It should be off to the side someplace where it's not going to be part of or start a fire at a fuel facility. In my opinion, and it's no 24 disrespect, the police stations really are terrible places to visit, I'm sure 166 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 for a lot of people. But just if you brought a visitor from another jurisdiction, either they'd feel at home or they would be outraged from what they see. So I don't know about the trash outside the place, but maybe you were talking about what's inside. But what about outside? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: That even goes for the outside, to a limited extent. I mean, we're not going to have police officers pushing brooms on a lot. No, that's not going to happen, but as far as emptying the trash, bagging it up and keeping it where it is picked up by the Streets Department, sometimes the district commander has to remind people of their responsibilities to keep their own place cleaned.
Commissioner. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: Joan Schlotterbeck, Public Property 167 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 Commissioner. I just thought I'd come up and support Jack. We work very well together. Any new facility, we've privatized it. So in those instances, Councilman, you don't find that kind of condition. We do our very best to work to maintain the police facilities, both the cleanliness and also the operational maintenance of it. It's just a very difficult thing, because often times we're dealing with buildings that are old. They're 24/7. They haven't been provided the continuous level of care, upgrades, system repairs. So it's not a very easy thing for us to settle.
It just seems -- and I want to end it. It just seems as though there isn't a system. There doesn't appear that there's like -- you got to wait until the trash can is overflowing and all the garbage is all over the parking lot before somebody gets 168 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 the hint to empty it. It doesn't seem as though when it's half full, a daily operation -- you know what I'm going to do? I have a digital camera. I'm going to throw it in the back of my car and I'm going to start sending you some pictures, and you tell me if you think the system works. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: You could either do that or you could radio me. Either way.
That's fine. I'll send you the pictures. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: But, Councilman, I'd also like to know which police facility had a bathroom down for that long. That is my responsibility, and I'm totally unaware of that condition.
The entire building had to use one facility. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: What district?
I won't say 169 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 it publicly. I'll tell you privately. COMMISSIONER SCHLOTTERBECK: Okay. Fair enough. Thank you.
You're welcome. One of my colleagues had to leave. However, he asked if I could ask a question, and I guess it would be the Streets Commissioner. My colleague wanted to know how many street lights do we have in the City. COMMISSIONER TOLSON: There are 100,000 street lights in the City of Philadelphia.
I think that will answer his question. Thank you. Well, this will conclude today's public hearing. I want to thank you all for your patience. The Committee of the Whole will stand in recess until Monday, February 170 2/15/06 - WHOLE - BILLS 060001 AND 060002 27th at 10:00 a.m., at which time we will have tax hearings. Thank you. (Council of the Whole adjourned at 1:20 p.m.) - - - 171 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on February 15, 2006, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)