COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tuesday, March 16, 2010 10:40 a.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN BILL GREEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GREENLEE COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO BILL 100115 - An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2011-2016 inclusive. BILL 100116 - An ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2011 Capital Budget. - - - 2
Good morning, everyone. This is a public hearing of the Committee of the Whole. I would ask Mr. McPherson to please read the title of Bill Nos. 100115 and 100116. MR. McPHERSON: Bill No. 9 100115, an ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2011 through 2016 inclusive. Bill No. 100116, an ordinance 13 to adopt a Fiscal 2011 Capital Budget.
I believe Mr. Greenberger is going to be testifying on the two bills. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Good morning. I just need to get my glasses on, too. Good morning, Council President Verna, and good morning, members of City Council. I am Alan Greenberger, the 3 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 Executive Director of the City Planning Commission. I am here today to present, for your review and consideration, the Recommended FY2011 to 2016 Capital Program and FY2011 Capital Budget, as approved by the City Planning Commission at its meeting on March 2nd, 2010. The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter stipulates that the City Planning Commission prepare and submit to the Mayor a Recommended Capital Program and Budget. As you know, the Recommended Capital Program is a proposed six-year plan for investing in the City's physical and technology infrastructure, community facilities and public buildings. The Capital Budget is the first year's spending recommendation. For several months each year beginning in August, the City Planning Commission staff works closely with the Finance Department's Office of Budget and Program Evaluation, Department of Public Property, Managing Director's Office and 4 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 City operating departments to prepare the Recommended Capital Program and Budget. It is a highly collaborative, labor-intensive and iterative process, and we believe it yields a program and budget that carefully balance the capital needs of the City's facilities with limited resources. As in years past, the availability of new City tax-supported general obligation funding for capital projects depends on two factors: One, the City debt limit established by the Pennsylvania Constitution; and, two, the City's capacity to service debt on these borrowed funds. This year, based on these factors, we are able to recommend more new City funding for both the budget and six-year program than we have in at least a decade. Nearly $103 million -- that's in the first year -- and nearly $556 million, respectively. This increase will allow us to become more aggressive 5 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 in our work, which, for the most part, addresses long-term deferred maintenance. 5 billion in the budget year. 9 billion in funds from a variety of sources. There are 73 new projects for FY2011, as well as many ongoing projects that we recommend be carried forward from previous years. Generally, unobligated funds as of January 31st, 2010 are carried forward to enable continuation of projects budgeted previously. 5 billion FY2011 Capital Budget is made up as follows: $103 million will be provided by new general obligation bonds issued by the City of Philadelphia. These bonds are tax supported. An additional $220 million will 6 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 come from carried-forward City tax-supported loan funds. Other City sources, including PICA funds, pre-financed loans, operating revenue and revolving funds, total $74 million. 3 billion. Funding from other levels of government - federal, state and regional sources - totals $642 million. " Throughout our process of developing the Recommended Budget and Program, we follow several important principles. One, address critical life-safety needs and court-mandated requirements; two, provide quality facilities needed to support the delivery of essential public services; and, three, 7 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 leverage federal, state and private resources wherever possible. Additionally, projects included in the Recommended Capital Program and Budget advance the four stated goals of the Administration's Philadelphia Plan: To, one, foster economic recovery and jobs; two, enhance public safety; three, invest in youth and protect our most vulnerable; and, four, reform government. I'd like to highlight some of the key projects in the FY2011 Recommended Capital Budget.
Capital projects that help to foster economic recovery and jobs include: More than $1 billion of federal, state, private and City new and carried-forward self-sustaining funds are recommended to enable the Philadelphia International Airport to improve service for air traffic and travel to and from Philadelphia, through terminal expansion and modernization, airfield renovations and additions, and enhancements to 8 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 security systems. 9 million in City and federal funds on Navy Yard infrastructure improvements to support public and private development at this important employment center. 3 million in City, state and federal funding for Schuylkill Riverfront improvements. 3 million dollars in state, federal, City and other monies is recommended for such projects. Projects that support enhancing public safety include: Nearly $2 million 9 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 in new City funds is recommended to be used for roof replacements and mechanical, electrical and plumbing renovations at seven police facilities. Three million in new City and federal funding is recommended to build a Crime Response Center at the Police Headquarters. We recommend the Philadelphia Prison System use $2 million in new City funds for an automatic lock security system at the House of Corrections detention facility. 5 million in new City funds is recommended to fund street reconstruction and resurfacing across the City's neighborhoods, improving the safety of our roads. 5 million in new City funds is recommended for GreenPlan Philadelphia initiatives through the Managing Director's Office, focusing on safe open 10 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 space and greening projects citywide. 3 million in new City funds and include HVAC, interior and exterior renovations at several branches. 9 million of new City funds and operating revenue is recommended for health facility improvements and renovations. Six point nine million dollars in operating revenue from the Hospital Tax Assessment Fund is recommended for the first phase of building an electronic health records system at the Health Department. More than $14 million in new City funds is proposed to fund a variety of improvements to Recreation Department facilities and infrastructure across City neighborhoods. 5 million in new City funds is recommended for Fairmount Park to plant new park and street trees throughout the City, which, among other benefits, helps to bring nature to children in the City. Last, projects that help to reform government include: A major investment of $25 million of new City funding is recommended for the Division of Technology, for City government's information technology to stabilize and enhance network infrastructure and for citywide and specific departmental applications and functions. Five-hundred thousand dollars of new City funding will enable the Office of Sustainability within the Managing Director's Office to continue implementing energy efficiency improvements across City facilities, including, but not limited to, boiler upgrades, HVAC equipment and controls, and lighting technology improvements. A total of nearly $5 million of 12 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 new City funds is recommended for the Department of Public Property to continue making functional improvements to major City government buildings such as completing the multi-year renovation of the exterior of City Hall. 1 million for the Streets Department for a new Traffic Operations Center to improve citywide traffic management. 6 million in federal grant funds for 50 additional traffic cameras throughout the City to complement the Traffic Operations Center. 6 million in other sources of funds to upgrade SEPTA's control center for operating its ADA and shared-ride programs.
I hope that this sampling 13 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 demonstrates the variety of projects recommended for funding and how the FY2011 to 2016 Recommended Capital Program seeks to make strategic targeted investments in Philadelphia's infrastructure, using our limited resources for the greatest public benefit. Thank you for your attention, and I am happy to address any questions you have. I'd also like to note that the leadership of City departments is present, in addition to representatives from the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Property, to assist in answering your questions.
Thank you very much, Mr. Greenberger. In your testimony, you state that the City will be investing in technology infrastructure and community facilities. What do you mean by "community facilities" and how are they different from public buildings? 14 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116
Okay. I'm going to ask -- we'll start with technology. I'm sorry. It's being suggested that I misunderstood your question. Just give it to me again.
I said in your testimony, you state that the City will be investing in technology infrastructure and community facilities. What do you mean by "community facilities" and how will they be different from public buildings?
Okay. We don't need him yet. We'll get him in a moment. The community facilities really refers to a whole range of things that do include in fact public buildings. So, for example, there's money in this plan 15 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 for recreation facilities, which are in fact public facilities.
This year's Capital Budget and Program make significant investment in the Division of Technology. What type of equipment and/or systems will the City be acquiring, and can you tell us what the useful life is for these items?
I said you might as well have him up. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning. I'm Allan Frank, the City's Chief Technology Officer.
I heard the question. In terms of in 2011, what 16 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 we're looking at in terms of equipment is to replace aging hardware across the City. In particular, we're talking about network equipment, equipment related to disc storage and communication equipment, and in the case where computers themselves are dying, replacing them.
Generally, I would say that the general useful life would be in the five- to eight-year max range. Generally, I would use five years.
Thank you very much. Mr. Greenberger, has the City Controller signed off as to the eligibility for capital funding?
Let me ask Mr. Agostini to come up. He can answer that question. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good 17 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 morning.
Good morning. Steve Agostini, Budget Director for the City. We have not yet discussed the Capital Plan with the City Controller's Office. We anticipate we'll do that in the coming weeks and expect that they will provide an opinion on the eligibility for all the items in the plan.
Because I know we had a delay this year and I thought we could avoid that this year.
What efficiencies and/or savings have been included in the proposed Five Year Plan due to these IT expenditures?
Madam Chair, members, we had a very lengthy conversation internally about what we should include in terms of savings, and 18 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 we recognize that given the scale of the investments that we're looking at, particularly in the first year, that over the long term, there should be some savings either in the form of personnel savings or in just general efficiencies and improvements in productivity. We thought, however, it was prudent not to budget those savings over the life of the plan so that if they did materialize, that we could then capture them. I would also say that given my first six months here where there was an investment in a particular system where we anticipated savings to materialize and those savings did not materialize, I've been a little reluctant to actually budget those dollars, because then if they don't materialize, we're stuck in later years. So we had the conversation and we decided it was prudent not to place those savings in, but it is reasonable to expect that there will be some savings 19 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 over the length of the investments.
Thank you. Mr. Greenberger, on your testimony, you mention addressing long-term deferred maintenance. What is the amount in the 2011 Capital Budget for addressing this problem?
I couldn't answer that for you right now, but I'd be happy to get back to you. I just need to add up a series of items.
On of your testimony, you mention that an additional $220 million will come from carried-forward City tax-supported loan funds, PICA funds, preferred -- I'm sorry; pre-financed loans, operating revenues, et cetera. Can you tell us the amount of carry-forward funds and the year that it originated?
Well, the amount that we're showing for carry-forward is $220 million, but, 20 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 again, I'll have to do a more detailed analysis and get back to you on how much came from which year. I'll be happy to do that.
Can you tell us why it takes so, so long to spend these funds, and what is being done to expedite this process?
I'll give it a try. You asked that last year. It was a good question then. It's a good question now. A lot of times the carry-forwards happen because some money is in the Capital Budget that leverages other money. That other money obviously comes from other sources, and those other sources, be they state or federal, they take time to secure the money, put it in hand that enables projects to move forward. So some of the carry-forward -- and I couldn't tell you off the top of my head how much of it, but some of that carry-forward simply comes from the 21 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 mechanics of multi-levels of government working to secure the needed pots of money to move projects forward. Other carry-forwards come from the need for projects that extend over multiple years that occasionally run into delays. That does happen. Things like weather delays, for example, could send projects back by several months, the kind that we had this year. So there's no single answer. It's a very wide variety of answers why there's carry-forward. Our interest as an Administration is in minimizing, to the greatest extent we can, the carry-forward. We would like to be budgeting things that get spent in the year that they're budgeted, but we recognize that that's not a realistic goal to achieve at 100 percent.
We'd like to see that happen, too. On of your testimony, you mention that seven police facilities 22 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 will be renovated. Can you tell us the facility and the renovations that they will undergo?
Yes. Let me get Gary Knappick up here from the Department of Public Property. He can give you the rundown on that. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning, Madam President. I'm Gary Knappick from the Department of Public Property. I'll attempt to answer your question. This is the book that we developed for all the capital projects requested. I'm going to have to take a look in the book. It will take me a minute to find out exactly which ones.
I'm sorry. The Budget Office had that information right at their fingertips. For Police facilities, we have 23 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 roofs, roof replacements at PD 5, PD 12, PD 14, PD 28 and the AID unit, that's the Accident Investigation Units. We have mechanical, electric, plumbing improvements at PD 35. We have some work also at the -- improvements, MEP improvements, at the Police Academy. And I believe the Crime Response Center was always in there or also included in there for $2.5 million of federal funding.
The Police could probably better answer that, but that's really a realtime crime response center where all of their various computers and communication systems come to one spot, the AFIS system, fingerprint identification. I think they have links to federal systems, but I think they can give you a better answer to that, if you'd like. (Witness approached witness table.) 24 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116
Good morning. Everett Gillison, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. The realtime crime center is an electronic and a data analysis center for the Police. It would be at the Police Administration building. As Mr. Knappick has said, that it would actually link across systems between fed, state and local, and also get data that we are going to be pushing from the street to the center at the Police Administration building and then be able to communicate back out. So it's a realtime analysis. For example, when you go to a scene, we will have the ability to take data from the scene, push it back, have it analyzed and push it right back out to the scene at the police location. So it is done in realtime in order to make sure that we can do our investigations and complete them in a timely way. 25 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116
Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to the questions about the Capital Budget and Police and Fire, two of the items you mentioned were in the PICA 2007 report with respect to roofs, and I have a schedule from the Department of Public Property last year that told us when the critical projects that were identified in the PICA October 7 report would be completed. The status for what you mention is MEP projects, mechanical, electric and plumbing, the cost we have from you last year is 4,477,000. I'd like to confirm that 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 you're talking about spending the same amount of money. That project was scheduled for completion March 2010. Has that been completed?
No. What we did is, we did a more detailed assessment. I think the overall PICA report for the facilities that we identified had somewhere in the order of $10 million of critical improvements to those facilities. We reassessed them from a systems perspective, not just a correction perspective, where we evaluated the life cycle of the equipment, and we're coming up with about $14 million. We've disseminated that information, because we know money is 27 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 scarce, into the best possible use. We split it up into, I believe, three packages, and they are currently being designed.
I have the same question for you with roof replacement. It was 2,000,134 last year, and the completion of all work was scheduled for June 2010. Has any of that physical work begun?
That has not been done. We have one of the facilities that -- there was one police roof, the 22nd and 23rd. One of the things we did when we got that information was to go to the sites and take a look for ourselves to see if the roofs that were identified as the most highly critical were in fact in need of replacement, and we found that there were a few of them that didn't belong there and a few that did. Here again, we're in the process of designing them, and I can get you a better date. 28 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 It's back at my chair.
No. That's fine. We asked these same questions about the PICA report in 2008. We asked them in 2009. It's now 2010. A lot of studying is going on. Every year we get the same answer. We looked at it, we reached our own conclusions. So this is the third year in a row we've looked at it and we haven't begun any construction of a new roof or -- and these were critical life-safety issues in buildings where policemen and firemen work. I just want to suggest that that's just not acceptable to not have done that work, when we have appropriated that money for three years in a row. It's been in the Capital Budget all that time.
You're correct, and I can't say that we've -- we actually had the RFPs out on schedule during the course of the assessments. We've had some staffing limitations. Everything is 29 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 in design. For example, the SWAT --
I know you don't make the decision about when it gets done, but how many jobs do you think would have been created had we begun these projects this year?
Quite a few. I did take a look at that from an overall perspective in the department, and by my analysis, we -- I look at the total expenditure in the division, and we create on an average -- I'm looking at about five years -- of about 250 jobs, full-time jobs. If you translate the dollars to labor and supplies, somewhere in the order of 250 local jobs per year based on the expenditure, and our expenditure is -- and you're absolutely right -- only as good as what we can output.
On the same line, by this time this year, there was going to be a purchase of Maximo property management system and all of the City's 30 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 facilities were going to be put into it and we'd know the sort of structural repair situation of all -- and we'd have a commercial off-the-shelf property management system. Has that been done yet?
Have we completed the list of the seven police facilities that are scheduled for renovation?
Yes. When completed -- yes, I've identified the list to you. I'm not sure if I understand the question completely.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman 31 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 Goode.
Thank you, Madam President. Good morning, Mr. Greenberger.
On your testimony, you say the Recommended Capital Program and Budget advance the four stated goals of the Administration, the first being to foster economic recovery and jobs. I have a series of questions with regard to that. Aside from safety and the level of deterioration of some of our infrastructure, is there any prioritization of projects based upon labor intensity?
No. I don't think it's -- we haven't evaluated it based on labor intensity. If I understand, you mean which ones are likely to produce the most jobs?
If we have experienced a recession on all levels and 32 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 our recovery on all levels has pretty much been a jobless recovery and you have to choose between projects, don't you think it appropriate to have some prioritization based upon labor intensity?
And in doing so, are there any goals set for Philadelphia workers?
Are there any goals set for disadvantaged workers or disadvantaged businesses?
Yes, there are. There will be Office of Economic Opportunity involvement in each of these projects, setting goals for minority, 33 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 women and disadvantaged businesses.
So that has not been planned already? You don't know what --
Well, that will be the subject, I'm sure, of later testimony in the month or I guess next month, but --
Mr. Greenberger, I don't know if you're familiar with this, but we've been real emphatic, particularly in the Commerce and Economic Development Committee, about the fact that every time we ask a question of a department, they always point to the Office of Economic Opportunity, and there seems to be a disconnect. We've made that point throughout several hearings. I guess my question is, based upon the fact that you are the Acting 34 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 Commerce Director and you oversee the Office of Economic Opportunity and the Mayor has set a goal of at least 5 percent DBE participation for Fiscal Year 6 '11, and through the disparity studies 7 that we've done, we actually know that 8 the capacity of disadvantaged businesses 9 in public works has grown and is growing. 10 So there's a capacity to do more work. 11 So my question is, in terms of the Fiscal 12 Year '11 Capital Budget, how is that 13 expected to contribute to the 14 Administration's goal of reaching at 15 least 25 percent participation by 16 disadvantaged businesses, knowing the 17 capacity has grown and is growing? 18
And I think 21 that it's appropriate that there be a 22 broad view of that in terms of the 23 overall Capital Budget and that you not 24 refer back to departments, who are only 25 going to say the same thing you say, is 35 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 that, Well, we're talking to the Office of Economic Opportunity.
Well, let me finish my answer, because we're in complete agreement here. When I started to say that, what I wanted to finish saying was that every single department is being charged with setting goals, working with the Office of Economic Opportunity on what those goals should be, and the aggregate is this percent target. So while I 14 can't answer for a specific project about 15 what those goals are going to be, the 16 aggregates per department have been set. 17 They now are responsible, and they will 18 be answering to you through these budget 19 hearings. 20
And I will 21 ask the question of each department. I'm 22 asking today -- I think it's an 23 appropriate question -- for the Capital 24 Budget, because we're expected to approve 25 a bill that's specifically for the 36 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 Capital Budget, what are the goals for participation for that money?
The aggregate goal is the percent, and you'll hear 10 from each of the departments their 11 specific goals. 12
So the goal 13 for the Capital Budget is 25 percent as 14 well? 15
Thank you, 18 Madam President. 19 Thank you, Mr. Greenberger. 20
21 You're welcome. 22 The Chair recognizes Councilman 23 Greenlee. 24
Thank 25 you, Madam President. 37 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 The first question kind of was a follow-up to what the Council President has been raising on the Police facilities. I don't know if maybe Mr. Gillison could answer it. It's a bit of a general question. I know Commissioner Ramsey has said before when he's been in here about the pretty deplorable conditions of a number of the facilities. Now, this money that we're doing in these seven facilities, are there still some left to do that are in that critical stage -- and Councilman Green talked about the PICA report -- or are we pretty much up -- will this take us up to at least making them, all of them, reasonably maintained, if I'm making sense?
Councilman Greenlee, you do make sense. This won't even get us close.
It won't even 38 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 get us close to where we need to be with the facilities.
I thought there was probably a lot more out there, but I just wanted to get it on record. Okay. That's not good news, but at least --
I understand. And these are at least the most needed at this particular moment? DEPUTY
Thank you. I guess the other question I had was Streets Department related. On the money for the street reconstruction and resurfacing, is that total taking obviously the lovely winter we've had or have these been long-range things, 39 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 streets have already been planned?
I'm going to get the right person up here to answer that. Commissioner Tolson will answer that.
I don't know if the Commissioner recovered from all that snow removal. COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Still a little hoarse. Good morning. My name is Clarena Tolson, Commissioner of the Department of Streets. Councilman, you asked the question about the resurfacing for streets. The change in dollars that you see for resurfacing does not reflect the impact of this winter. They instead 40 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 reflect longer-term planning. So we had planned to have the level of resurfacing that is already noted in our books.
Yeah. I assume usually you plan a couple years ahead of time at least on the major projects of resurfacing. COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Certainly the year before.
I guess this is more operation, but I guess there will have to be more effort put into at least the pothole repairs and all dealing with that because of the snowstorm? I assume that generated more problems this year, right? COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Yes. Because of the freeze/thaw cycles that we experienced this year, we have extremely poor conditions on our streets relative to potholes. Potholes are naturally occurring and asphalt has popped out in many of our streets around the City, and we've been aggressively working to 41 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 address them. That type of repair is handled not through our Capital Budget but instead through our General Fund budget as a normal maintenance item.
Okay. While you're there, could you explain the new Traffic Operation Center? Could you just go into a little detail of what that is? COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Surely. We're looking towards an exciting Traffic Operation Center, which will allow for the overall citywide management, synchronization and control of our traffic signals around the City.
So it revolves around signaling? COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Yes. Signals is a major portion of that.
So what would that mean -- COMMISSIONER TOLSON: And -- I'm sorry. Go ahead. 42 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116
I'm sorry. Does that mean that when there's outages, that they will be able to be both reported and dealt with more quickly? Is that the idea? COMMISSIONER TOLSON: Surely. Certainly not on every street around the City, but we'll be able to deal with the problems with outages, the problems with disrepair, some remote control of that, also monitoring of traffic and the ability to manage traffic through timing, remote timing, of our signals.
Okay. Just give me an example. I know out in the University City area there seems to be some power outages lately like around 34th and Market, 36th and Market. Through this, would that be able to make you more timely get to those problems? COMMISSIONER TOLSON: I don't 43 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 know that necessarily like a bulb out or things like that will be known. However, if there were major glitches in the system, possibly if we have something like a knockdown that causes some major or significant electrical problem or something else that may be impacting on our grid, we might be able to see that, but not things like bulbs out.
Okay. Thank you. Just one last -- this is not for the Streets Department. It's for Fairmount Park. I know Mr. DiBerardinis was here. I was just wondering on the $2.5 million for new park and street trees, is there a split on that, like how much in the park, how much for street trees? I mean, they're both needed. I was just wondering if there's any definitive split there. (Witness approached witness table.
Good 44 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 morning. COMMISSIONER DiBERARDINIS: Hi. I'm Michael DiBerardinis, Parks and Recreation Commissioner. Councilman, we have not specifically allocated the funds to how much would be park, how much would be street trees. However, we want to employ as many different strategies that we can leverage that money with other contributions and other donations. We want to engage the citizens who care about this and are interested in their neighborhoods, and we want to sort of improve the parkland as well. So we will soon be working on that program that would get us the maximum amount of trees with the most leveraged resources and the most citizen engagement.
All right. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you, Council President.
The 45 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to bring Allan Frank back and just go through in detail on what this IT investment is going to be spent on. (Witness approached witness table.)
So 9.33 million on network infrastructure stabilization and enhancement. How do you break that down?
In 2011 -- by the way, Allan Frank, Chief Technology Officer. Thank you. The 9.33 million in 2011 for network infrastructure is being spent in a number of categories. I can read through it, if that's what you'd like, Councilman.
I have it in 46 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 writing. I have a spreadsheet that totals up to the $9.3 million.
Can I take a look at that? That would save us some time.
Do you have a copy for us? Thanks. I'll come back to this then. It looks like it's going to be very helpful. Thank you. During last week's testimony on the Five Year Plan operating, there was testimony about the insufficiencies of the City's current system to do zero or program-based budgeting and discussion about prioritizing Finance-related systems in the IT capital spending. Does any of this spending get us to the place where we have Finance combined with ERP, et cetera, in 2011?
Councilman, yes. As a matter of fact, under the category 47 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 of Citywide Applications in the book on where we've allocated $13,167,000, in effect, this really is to allow us to start the, in large measure, implementation of what's called an Enterprise Resource Planning system, or ERP. In particular, we are looking at over a period of years implementing three broad areas of this system, the first being time capture, human resources, payroll and pension, and that in 2011 is where the largest amount of dollars, if you will, in this category is being spent to start that project.
I sit on the Private Sector Outreach Board. We had a meeting this morning, and it was the clear consensus of that group -- and I don't want to name names -- that basically you have to have Finance and Budget as part of the initial implementation or you're not going to get the benefits of the investments that we're making, because we won't have all 48 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 the management tools necessary in place. And this is from -- and I'm just wondering if we can make that happen with this money in 2011. (Witness approached witness table.)
Councilmember, when we talked about the plan with Allan Frank and others and Planning, we tried to identify where there was such critical need that we were on the verge, in some cases, of failure. The financial systems that we have currently, thankfully, don't fit into that category. They function. We have a financial system, FAMIS, that works. We have a budgeting system, although not necessarily the state of the art, that works. There are things we would like to have, and I've mentioned this to you in private. There are some things we would like to have. As I understand it from the plan, Allan has teed up a review of that starting in FY13, where I think there's 49 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 approximately $2 million that's been allocated for that purpose. I think because of where we are with the other systems, certainly those of us in Finance would say please take care of these other things first before you move to the financial systems. We can get along for the next couple of years.
Well, I would disagree that we can get along, because we can't get a straight answer about how many positions are in what department, what are filled, what are unfilled, who performs what function, et cetera, and until you combine budgeting with ERP with all that stuff, we're not going to be able to get the kind of information we need to do a thorough analysis of what's presented to us. But my time is up. Please feel free to respond, if you'd like.
First of all, though we said we're implementing HR, time capture and others first, we are 50 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 really looking at purchasing and implementing the entire integrated suite, which includes Finance and I think what you're referring to in terms of implementation sequencing of what part of the financial modules have to go up perhaps before these other things, and my answer really is is that the first thing you have to do is the right planning up front. So, frankly, what we actually are starting now as a part of this process is what we're calling that implementation planning, which would tell us what part of the general ledger, if anything, has to be implemented to achieve the goals that you're speaking of. But conceptually, what we're saying in terms of getting the benefit across the City, we felt there was a significant, significant impact on the administrative side by dealing with time capture, human resources, understanding our people and, most importantly, where it end the life with those other two systems, pension and 51 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 payroll. But I think in fact you're correct in terms of having to look at Finance, and we've taken that into account, but, generally speaking, the brunt of implementation we believe in 2011 has to be around time and people. Thank you.
Thank you very much. I have a question relative to the Recreation Department. I noticed in your testimony you talked about roofs for police stations, fire stations. In the past, there was an effort for the Recreation Department to bundle all of the roof repair for all of the facilities to get better pricing. Is that plan for this year in terms of the roofs? COMMISSIONER DiBERARDINIS: Councilwoman, I don't know. Maybe someone from the Capital Budget Office. 52 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 I have not had that conversation with the Capital Budget Office at this point. We can get back to you. I mean, certainly if it makes sense, we'll do it if we can.
Well, I have a roof at Finley and it's really causing a lot of damage, and I'm being asked to use my money to repair the roof, but the practice in the past has been to bundle those projects and do all of the roofs around the City out of one contract. So I'd like to have an answer for that, please. COMMISSIONER DiBERARDINIS: We will. We'll get it to you real fast. And if it makes sense, we will certainly do it. If we can figure out how to do it and there's enough projects, we'll give it a shot.
Did the gentleman from the Capital Office 53 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 leave? No. He's still here. I think that you could respond to Councilwoman Tasco's question.
Madam Chair, I think the issue is that, to the Councilwoman's question, the capital planning that takes place within the Recreation Department can make that decision and can indeed bundle those things together. I think that has been done in the past. I think the question is for the planning on the Recreation side, sort of where they are in terms of have they designed, are they ready to go to bid, can they bid a number of these together, and I think that's a question that they can answer. (Witness approached witness table.)
Actually, I don't know as well. What we generally do try to do is bundle roofs. If we have a 54 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 number of roofs for a particular department that are of the smaller variety, the 1,500, you know, square foot and things of that nature, it always made more sense for us to put them all together. That way, we get them all out in the street at once. In this particular case, I'm not sure if Finley is in that -- in a grouping. Sometimes if we're working on various other renovations, MEP renovations, interior renovations for a facility, ADA, we'll put the roof in with those other renovations.
Well, if you have recreation facilities that need roofs, is there a way you could tie them in with the roofs of the Police Department?
Yes. We've done that. We've put various departments in. The problem comes a little bit with the budgets, because when we budget for each particular department, they have a set 55 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 amount, and we'll estimate the amounts based on our own internal estimates. When the bid comes in, however, it's a lump-sum bid. So it's hard to discriminate on how much goes to what.
Well, do you have a request for roofs for recreation facilities from other districts?
I would have to get back to you on that, on the detail on the Recreation budget, but I might be able to find out in a second.
Sure. Would you like me to get back? I might be able to ask our Project Director right now.
But do 56 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 they have requests for roof repair in the department?
That I'm sure they do, but I'm not sure if the facilities --
Could somebody come and tell me how many and what they're going to do about it?
Yeah. It looks like they're pulling -- I don't know whether the right people are here to pull the information together. Let us get back to you quickly on that, on all of these roof issues with the recreation centers.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller. 57 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116
Thank you, Madam President. Good morning, Mr. Greenberger.
I have a few questions for now. I wanted to talk to -- the gentleman from the Fire and Police facilities is still there?
One of them is here and Deputy Mayor Gillison is here. So, yes.
Just mainly around the facilities. A couple years ago I brought up the issue of how desperate the fire station at Carpenter Lane needs floor replacement, and it's really more than just a floor, and I was wondering has anybody been up there to take a look at that repair that's needed there?
There were a about, I'm going to say, four floors that we had scheduled or had looked at and requested capital money for for the 58 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 floors. I believe that's one of them. They were in pretty bad shape. And in some cases -- and we're not completely sure whether there's structural problems associated with the floor as well. Unfortunately, some of the money that we had set aside for that was redirected to the point source capture systems for the facilities.
To the point source capture systems for all the fire stations. They're the exhaust removal systems for the vehicles.
Well, I go to Carpenter Lane and Germantown Avenue to get gas and I was there again today getting gas, and I took some pictures of the floor, and it is in disgraceful shape. I mean, at this point -- and it gets worse and worse. At this point, they have mats down so that when they back in, without the mats, when 59 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 they back in, it blows the tires. So they have to have these big mats down. I would love to have gotten much better pictures, and it looks like structural problems are taking place. They have cracks in the wall, cracks in the ceiling. And I also went in the basement this morning. That station is in desperate need of a new floor. And it's not just a floor. It's terrible. DEPUTY
Wait a minute. Even though that whatever you said was redirected, the money was redirected to, you have to find money to do that floor. And I would advise somebody stop by there and take a look at it so you see just how bad it is. Okay. Mr. Gillison.
Councilwoman, I assure you, we have in fact looked at that floor. We do have a number of 60 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 capital estimates for the floors. There were some other facilities that had similar problems. We do have it on our books to do.
We appropriated some money for that before the Street Administration was over, and I don't know what happened to the money. But it's not a new issue. It's been ongoing for a long time.
And it's just getting worse and worse and worse. And in a minute, I'm afraid that a fire 61 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 truck is going to probably fall through one of those holes. There are some metal rails, but the cement is all gone. The cement is gone. I mean, it is disgraceful. DEPUTY
If I may, Councilwoman, I was just talking with the Fire Commissioner. He was saying that that's Engine 9 at Carpenter Lane. He's indicated that the 430,000 that is in the budget for 2011, Engine 9's floor is part of the design for that. So it appears that that has not only been heard, but we are actually addressing it. So the first thing that has to be done is the analysis of what needs to be done, and that is going to be addressed in the Capital Budget for this year.
I think the analysis -- this is a ten-year problem. There's no way there has not been an analysis of what needs to be done to repair that floor. We need the money and get it done. We take too long with 62 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 these capital projects. The costs go up. The longer you take, the costs go up. It's crazy. We need to get that floor done. DEPUTY
I will be up there, and I know that the Commissioner said he is aware of it. Thank you for the photographs, and I will also take your suggestion and take a trip up myself.
Yes. If you went up there and took a look at it, then you would see how desperate the situation is. DEPUTY
I'm not saying that other stations don't have situations. I know about this one. And Tasco knows. We go there for gas. Friday night I was across the street at a restaurant getting some dinner and I said to my husband, Go over there and find out if that floor ever got fixed. I knew it 63 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 hadn't, but I was hoping that something had happened. But it's terrible. DEPUTY
Okay. Can you let me know when you think this will be -- I can't -- I know you do design, but I just think it's a waste of money. I know that that floor has been assessed. I know you have to do a design. I know that. But I brought this up a couple years ago and we're still talking about design. It needs to be repaired before something really happens up there. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. Councilwoman Tasco, did you want to --
I have a point of information from the Capital Projects Office in terms of you are now 64 3/16/10 - WHOLE - BILLS 100115 & 100116 out of the Property Department? You're working out of the Property Department?
So you work with the Recreation Department or the Police Department?