Whoever made the decision. But they are your libraries. You 59 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 are still the Director; right?
Yes. Okay. I believe I understand. We will put a letter together for you.
Okay. Thank you. I would appreciate it. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you, Madam President. Mr. Shelkrot, could you explain to me -- and I have a series of questions -- how does a book get into a major library system, especially ours? What is the criteria? Are there some books that are red-flagged, or whatever? I want to hear about how a book gets into the system, about how they are purchased, is there competitive bidding? I mean, I don't understand how it works. How does a book get paid for? Do you buy it from a publisher, distributor, 60 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 whatever? I won't get too far ahead of you, because I want to understand how a book gets into our system and how they are purchased and bid for. You know what I want.
I will be happy to outline that for you. Needless to say, when you are buying, you know, some 800,000 items of many, many, many different titles, with a myriad of patterns of distribution within the library, among the 53 libraries, you know, it varies. I might also say it varies based on the kind of book. If they are reference books, and there are other kinds of books, we use a process that's called a standing ordinance. Most often that is with the -- a book supplier, rather than with the publisher itself. It is a great help that we work through those jobbers because they -- you know, one jobber can have a contractual relationship with 100 different publishers, and it is of considerable value to us to do 61 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 that. However, let me just back up to the very beginning. When a book becomes available, we are notified in a couple of ways. First, the publisher sends out notices it is also available. Reviews are done of it by librarians and professional reviewers. And those reviews appear in print and now online in a variety of different resources. Our staff pay attention to those reviews and to the publisher's notices. Often those notices are done pre-publication, and review copies prior to publication are distributed to reviewers. We pay attention to that. We look at the needs of the library, the needs of the individual branches. The staff makes decisions about what to select for our libraries and how many copies. Let me just say that all of this is done under a Board-approved materials selection policy, which talks about the quality of the book, the nature of it, the 62 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 demand factors, the popularity of similar titles, the balance of our collection. And, you know, I would be happy to get for you a copy of that policy statement. But then going, you know, from that, to identifying the appropriate titles. We make a decision as to how many copies. We are in many cases in touch with the branches. In some cases it is done by a formula that's been developed with the branches so that we know how many copies of that kind of book should be purchased. We have contracts that have been negotiated with a variety of vendors of these books, and the discount rates are established. We constantly revisit those and look at them carefully. We compare the discount rates, as well as the delivery time and reliability of the distributor. And then we proceed to order it from those distributors or what we call book jobbers.
So you open the book, and there is a price of the book in 63 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 the -- the list price of the book. Do automatically get a set discount? My question, could you walk into Borders and buy a book cheaper than you buy it for?
I heard, and don't want to suggest, do we buy 200 books, get the bill, and pay the bill?
In other words, do we shop for our books? Do we just pick up the phone, or whatever the process is, and say we want 200 copies of ABC book, get the 200 copies of the book, and pay the bill?
We have contracts, we have arrangements, we have agreements with the various book jobbers, book suppliers; who they, in turn, have agreements with the 64 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 various publishers. And we get discounts, and it depends on the kind of book. If it is a trade book versus an academic book, you know, it can vary. But our discounts can go as high as 43 to 45 percent. And we tend -- we have these arrangements with the jobbers. From time to time we will double-check and make sure that we are getting the discounts that we should.
In an effort to keep it simple, and not take a long time to answer a simple question --
I will be right straight up with you. I am concerned about how we purchase books in the system. I am concerned how the process works. Do we have -- is there a -- is it audited to make sure that we are not overpaying for a book? I was told -- and I can document, if we need to go there -- that we on occasion pay 65 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 more than a person walking into Borders for a book.
The only way I can imagine that happening is if somehow a book were on remainder, on a remainder table, you know, that's where they have the 50, 70, 80 percent off, and for some reason that was a book that we had ordered another copy of for a branch that lost its copy. But I can tell you that --
Fine. The answer to my question is, the process that you have in the library, do you have purchasing people --
-- that just purchase the books? If the books are purchased, the bill 24 comes in. In other words, do we negotiate a little bit? You said, yes. 66 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06
You have a contract, where you get a discount off of list. My concern is that we are getting -- obviously you are a big purchaser of books --
And are we getting the appropriate discounts for the bulk purchases of books, or are we winding up buying a dozen books and paying the list price for the book?
It indeed would be a disgrace. And we are not purchasing at list price, except for those books that are so specific that they are not available anywhere, even, you know, to the book stores or anybody else, at a discount. But I can tell you that we have an excellent system to check on the prices, to 67 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 double-check the discounts that have been pledged to us, to make sure that we get those discounts.
That's all I want to know. That you have got a system in place, so I can go back to the source of this question that I am asking and say that your information is incorrect, that there is a lot of scrutiny to the purchases of books in our library system. Simple. The next question is, we talked many years ago about the video collection in our libraries. We all learned that you have R-rated videos.
Not to my knowledge. But we do have a system, based on those discussions we had in this Council room some years ago, a system whereby any -- a parent of a teenager up to age 18 can say, I do not want my youngster --
That's not my 68 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 question.
My question is, have you purchased anything beyond R-rated videos in our library system?
Not to your knowledge. Is there anyone else here that works for you who could support the question? Do we have anything other than R rated?
Based on our policies, I cannot believe that we purchase anything that is an X-rated movie. And I will say that because our policy does not and cannot, based on advice of City Council -- of the City Controller's -- wrong, City Solicitor, thank you, City Solicitor's office, talk about industry-created terminology.
Do we buy anything beyond R rated in our collection? I mean, that's not a tough question.
A little dispute 69 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 here. The only thing I can say, sir, I will check. But, to the best of my knowledge, there are no videos in our collection that are, in your terminology, beyond R rated that would meet the other criteria in our policy. And, therefore, I can check with staff. But, based on the information I have and my staff has here at this Council meeting --
It is a simple question. Do we -- what is after R, X? I don't know.
Well, the question is, do we purchase anything beyond R rated? I mean, that should be a simple question for everybody is here that works for the library. Is it yes or is it no?
The answer, sir, is not to the best of my knowledge. We do not have a policy of buying X 70 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 rated at all. But we also do not have a policy that says, you will never purchase an X-rated movie. So, to the best of my knowledge, there is -- okay.
So we could have X-rated movies in the library, but you're not aware of it?
Just one more question. How are we doing in the area of foreign language books? In our community libraries, are we able to provide the foreign language books because of the diverse population that we have in this city now? How are we doing with that?
I believe we are 71 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 doing very well in that area. And that is not to say that we can't do better. We have collections in something like 16, if I remember correctly, different foreign languages. Oh, excuse me. 60 foreign languages in our libraries. Please don't ask me to recite the 60 languages.
We have extensive collections in various parts of the city of Spanish, of Chinese, of Yiddish, of Russian, Korean in at least one location.
-- in other words, with the many languages that are spoken.
And not only that. Let me say that, because of the variety and diversity of the staff that we have, we have made it and communicated with other departments that we have language capabilities 72 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 of staff that we would be happy to assist wherever necessary.
I don't want to have another round at this. But the last point on that is, in our system, since we have this extensive collection of videos now, could a person that wants to learn to speak English go and -- a Spanish-speaking person, are there language courses available in video for people to learn English and vice versa? If an English-speaking person wants to learn to speak Spanish, can they go to a branch library and pick up a set of tapes or whatever, audio or video --
You are welcome. Mr. Shelkrot, when do you expect the 73 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 new central library to become operational?
In the year -- if we break ground in '07, it will take three years. So it would be in the calendar year '10.
What additional funding has been included in the proposed Five-Year Plan for the operation of the new central library?
At this time there is no specific dollar amount in the out years of the plan. We concentrate, I concentrate -- and, as far as I can tell, so does the Budget Office -- on the current and the next couple of years. I can tell you we anticipate, if the central library, the new expanded central library, you know, doubles or triples the amount of use in the visitorship, it may require approximately a 3 percent increase in our personnel line.
I don't think PICA would be very delighted with your response, that we only are concerned about the present 74 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 budget, and not being concerned about the five-year program. However, you said it, and...
Well, I shouldn't speak for the Budget Office. I can tell you that my focus tends to be on what is happening next year and the year after. I should not speak for the Budget Office.
But why do we have a Five-Year Plan, if nobody is going to pay attention to it but PICA? It is wrong. It is wrong. Okay. I am not going to argue the point. When do you anticipate that the city will borrow the remaining $20 million approved by City Council for this project?
Well, if we anticipate groundbreaking, as I said we do, we anticipate groundbreaking in '07, the provisions in the law that was -- you know, regarding the documents that we signed say that we must have $100 million of the $150 million. And this is approximately. 75 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 And we anticipate reaching that amount in time for the groundbreaking, because we could not go into groundbreaking, unless we had that.
Where is the funding for this borrowing, again, in the Five-Year Plan?
You will have -- that is a question that the Budget Office would have to address.
Is Ms. Reed here? Okay. Ms. Reed, I assume that you heard the question?
I think there are additional borrowings planned, at least one in '08. I don't have that information with me today. I would have to get back to you. That was my understanding from the original borrowing schedule last year.
And how much would 76 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 that be for?
No, I don't have that information with me today. It would be in the Debt Service Plan. It might be a subsection of the Debt Service Plan, so it is not obvious.
Nothing was mentioned about the borrowings to us. And I don't know how you come here, to a budget hearing, and not have the documents that you need to respond to questions that you know Council members are going to be asking. Councilman Nutter, I believe that you had an issue that you wanted to -- and, Ms. Reed, I think you have the document in your office. 77 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 So before the end of the day, we would appreciate your providing us with any and all information you have on this issue.
Could we get a copy of the borrowing schedule that she just spoke about?
Okay. I mean, not just for the library, but for everything.
Because we heard about the Youth Study Center just on questions of testimony.
Yes, I did. I do have a complete borrowing schedule at the office.
And you will 78 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 forward it to us before the end of the day?
Thank you. And I appreciate the accommodate. I don't need an answer to any of these. But, Mr. Shelkrot, going back to the earlier issue, I wanted to make sure that my question was clear with regard to the information request. What I would like to know is the total amount of city capital funding that was allocated to the George Institute branch library, the years those funds were made available, how much was spent, how much remains, what happens to any unspent capital funds. And if you could explain how you paid for design or other commitments out of capital funds for a project that did not go forward, I would really like to better understand that. 79 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 The city condemned property for the expansion, obviously for public purpose. That is not going forward. I would like to find out the nature of that transaction and what's going to happen to that property, as well. Madam President, thank you very much.
You are welcome. The Chair recognizes -- Councilwoman Brown, would you yield to Councilwoman Blackwell?
Thank you, Madam President. I know there was some discussion about an area that Councilman Nutter and I once shared. I am happy to work with the library on that. As you know, we do have an interest in that. We have talked about it. And we won't spend the time now to do that, but we 80 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 look forward to continuing our work with them on this issue.
Yes, Madam President. I had one followup request regarding the funding for the Friends of the Free Library. Could you please provide to the Chair budget information that speaks specifically to the funding allocation since FY '03, and what it has been every year from FY '03 to now.
Yes, I would be happy to get that information. Needless to say, I don't have it with me right now.
Well understood. Thank you so much. Thank you, Madam President.
You are welcome. Are there any other questions or comments from members of the committee? 81 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 Seeing none.
Council President Verna, you asked a question earlier, and we have an answer for you. I wanted to make sure we put it on the record, the question about emergency closings. Since January, when we were able to hire people to staff the branches six days a week, there have been an average of 36 hours per month of emergency closings. And if that holds for next year with the same level of staffing and the same level of funding, it would be about 432 hours systemwide for the entire year.
Thank you. Thank you very much. MR. McPHERSON: The next department is the Civil Service Commission.
Do we have the Civil Service Commission here? Please approach the witness table. 82 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 Good afternoon. Welcome. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good afternoon, President Verna and members of City Council. I am Repsie Warren, Chair of the Civil Service Commission. And we will be so pleased to give you all pertinent information regarding the Civil Service Commission.
Ms. Warren, I don't mean to interrupt you. But, we have a copy of your testimony. It has been given to the stenographer. She will transcribe it in full. And I would ask you, if you would simply abbreviate your testimony.
Thank you. And I will tell you, I really love hats, and yours is very, very pretty.
No. You could proceed with your testimony; just give us an 83 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 abbreviated version of it, if you will.
Yes. All right. I am testifying on my behalf and also the behalf of the other commissioners, Thomas Logan and Nancy Morgan. Our total budget request of $163,723 represents an increase of $3,995 over Fiscal Year '06. Under the Home Rule Charter, you know, the Commission approves or disapproves a large variety of actions affecting Civil Service employees. These include the establishment of job classes, position, and pay classifications, resident waivers, personal service contracts, civil service regulations and exemption from the civil service. We also serve as an appellant body which hears and decides on civil service employees' appeals of personnel decisions. Most appeals are regarding dismissal, suspensions of more than ten days, demotions, or examinations, denial for requests for leaves of absence. 84 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 This year the Commission is also hearing appeals relating to layoff of employees. As of today, we have received 67 appeals and issued 48 opinions and orders resolving appeals. With this budget, President Verna and members of Council, the Commission can continue its important work on assuring the preservation of the Philadelphia merit system as mandated by the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter. At this time I will be happy to answer any questions from the Chair or members of Council.
Thank you, Ms. Warren. I just have a question or two, if I may. You mentioned residency waivers in your testimony. Can you tell us how many waivers you have granted in 2005? And if you could give us the job titles, I would appreciate it. And tell us how many you have granted so far for this year. 85 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 And I am rather curious, how long is a waiver good for?
A waiver is good for one year. And for the year '05, July of '05 to 12/05, there were five waivers.
You knew the question we were going to ask. I am sorry. How many waivers?
Five from July '05 to 12/05. And the reasons for these was recruitment difficulty. We were having difficulty finding recruitment, but we have tried to -- we are trying to solve that problem by going to the universities recruiting. And, so, hopefully we can eliminate some of the waivers.
Job titles, family planning nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse, automotive maintenance, 86 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 heavy-duty vehicle technician, and social service trainee.
That number has, if my memory serves me correctly, that has drastically been reduced from what we heard last year. I think last year the amount of residency waivers that were given were just outrageous.
Well, as I stated, we are working on this, trying to reduce the number of waivers. And I think we have been successful.
Well, if it is five, I would say you are. But I am wondering how many waivers are still in existence from '05. Because my memory also serves me that a lot of the waivers that we heard about last year were in the medical fields.
Yes; yes. 12 in 87 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 use.
And, again, I 10 would ask you to just give us some of the job 11 descriptions. 12
Yes. I don't expect you to give us all 110, but just give us some.
Airport administrative training; French and English bilingual; German and English, you know, at the Airport Communications Center; Airport Computer System Analyst; Airport Operation Agent; Airport Operation Manager; Airport Property Specialist and 2; Airport Telecommunications Specialist; Aquatic Biologist and 2; Architect and 4; Architectural Projects Coordinator and 2; 88 1 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 Auditor Trainee; Automotive Maintenance; Camp Director; Chemical -- City Planner 1 and 2; City Planner 2, Urban Design; City Planner 3; City Planner 5; City Planner Trainee; Construction Projects Technician.
I would appreciate it if Council can have a list of these waivers, when they were granted, what titles. You know, with those that you mentioned at the airport, with all of the modern technology we have now, if we scheduled a test, I think we would have many, many applicants applying. I just don't know why we should have 112. None of them seem to be real specialists. Management Trainee? Please, spare me.
Excuse me, could I add some explanation. President Verna, I am Lynda Orfanelli, Personnel Director. 89 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 The vast majorities are class waivers. That means that they are a one-year waiver to allow people to -- we attract people from all over the country, and it gives them a year to move in. They must move in within that year, so these are not indefinite long-term waivers.
We did ask that question, how long does the waiver exist. And Ms. Warren said a year.
I want to see that list, if I may. And I am sure all of my colleagues would, too. Find out just how long some of these waivers have been in existence.
I am told you get on the Lindenwold train, and on some of the trains you will find that we have an awful lot of city employees that are traveling to New Jersey, but I can't prove it because I don't know who they are.
Point of 90 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 information.
Point of information. Since the personnel director is here, and we are talking about these waivers, one that really troubles me is the fact that the Health Department -- and I have been told for many years that it is impossible to find doctors. So I happened to be over for my physical one day, and I talked to a couple of docs over there. I asked a simple question, would they be interested in working for the Health Department on a part-time basis. And they said they would be thrilled to. No one has ever asked them. So I think it is kind of bogus that these long-term waivers for years and years and years and years for the doctors. We bring this up last year, the year before, and nothing is ever done. So I would like to find out why we have so many young physicians in this 91 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 community that would love to work for the City of Philadelphia. Because that is a pretty good, from what I understand, deal for a doctor, to work for the Health Department. And I think we have some of those waivers that are seven, eight years old for people that live in Drexel Hill and Collegeville and all over the region, when we have doctors that are very, very willing to work here, that work, live in the City of Philadelphia. So could somebody comment about those types of waivers that seem like they never end?
Number one, Councilman, we don't have a very great turnover. So once these people have the positions, they don't leave. Number two --
Leave? Now, that really gets me. I saw President Verna jump. You get them to leave. If they are not residents of the city, and you require firefighters, you require police officers, they ought to be 92 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 thrown out the minute you find a doctor to replace them.
Well, the Health Department actually runs this program. These are not -- these are not high-paying jobs.
These are not full-time jobs. And, basically, I think that this is a question that the Health Department should be requested specifically, because we don't really do a lot --
You are the Personnel Department. You call the shots when it comes to hiring people.
These are not the positions that we normally test for on a regular basis.
All I can tell you is that we are going to fix that to have 93 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 you get more involved. Because when I hear that we have young men and women that live, reside, got educated in this city, and then I look at a list and they come from everywhere but Philadelphia, that's troubling to me. And then the bogus story that no 9 one -- these doctors are afraid, city doctors are afraid, to work in the City of Philadelphia. Well, if somebody from Collegeville is not afraid to come to Philadelphia to work, I'm sure we could get people from Philadelphia. Could you just look at the list and tell us how many waivers we have for physicians? I know we had a few for the technology department, but I'm not sure about the Health Department.
The oldest looks 94 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 like it is 1978.
1978. We couldn't find a doctor to replace a doctor that lives where?
Well, somebody should get on the ball and start to look for some young men and women who work here, live here in the City of Philadelphia, that might want an opportunity. When you say they are not high-paying positions, could you describe the work day and the salary of a doctor that works for the Health Department? Could you tell --
That's really a Health Department question. I can't describe their work, because I really don't know that.
I mean, I don't have 95 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 that salary information here, but I looked at it. I mean, it doesn't compare to private practice.
They get nothing other than their salary? Do they get a pension, anything?
They would be eligible for a pension. Well, I think, Madam President, not to belabor this, I think we really need to get into this, whether we need to have a hearing or whatever down the road, to find out why we're not giving some people opportunities that -- again, I have talked to lots of docs that said they never once were asked about the opportunity to come work.
Councilman, I know that this very issue came up last year, and I know that you did express your concerns about 96 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 it. I think we need an explanation as to why somebody would be given -- I think that years ago, Ms. Orfanelli, years ago is it correct that probably one-year waivers were not granted?
Well, this class has an indefinite waiver. These are not one-year waivers for this particular class. I mean, this is an issue that I should take up with the Health Commissioner.
And, honestly, I can't imagine that personnel, our central personnel, would just give away a piece of your business and say, well, we don't really need to involve ourselves in this, you are the health. They have no expertise, other than maybe a local personnel person that works there, to be able to manage this type of a program. 97 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06 I would like, Madam President, for the Personnel Department to involve themselves in this and come back and let us know. When we say it is not a good-paying job, somebody from 1978 didn't hang on to this, if it wasn't a good deal. So I would like to get some numbers. I would like to get some numbers on what exactly the compensation is for these.
If they are entitled to a pension, then why aren't they entitled to benefits?
Because they are part time. We don't pay benefits for part-time employees.
Part-time employees, money is taken out for your pension? 98 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARING - 3/22/06
If you work for the city for more than six months, and you are permanent part time, then, yes, money is taken out for your pension.
Are there any indefinite waivers that are still being given out?