Committee Hearing, April 29, 2004

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, April 29, 2004 2:15 p.m. - - - BILL 040089 - Authorizing transfers in appropriations for FY '04 within the General Fund to certain of all City offices, department, boards and commissions BILL 040090 - Authorizing transfers in appropriations for FY '04 within the General Fund to Department of L&I BILL 040333 - Authorizing transfers in appropriations for FY '04 within the General Fund to Department of Human Services BILL 040334 - Authorizing transfers in appropriations for FY '04 within the General Fund to Director of Finance BILL 040365 - Authorizing transfers in appropriations for FY '04 within the General Fund to Director of Finance PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI, Chair COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 561-2220 I N D E X BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, PAGE 040334 040365 Rob Dubow, Budget Director, City of Philadelphia---------------------------- Robert D. Solvibile, Acting Commissioner, Department of L & I--------------------- - - - PUBLIC MEETING---------------------------- - - - 3 BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365

Good afternoon. The Committee of Appropriations is now in session. We have a quorum. To my left, Councilman Kelly, Councilman Mariano, Councilwoman Miller, and Councilman Rizzo. Will the clerk please read the title of the bill.

Bill 040089, an Ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2004 within the General Fund from certain and all city offices, departments, boards, and commissions, to certain or all city offices, departments, boards, sand commissions. And Bill No. 040090, an Ordinance 17 authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2004 within the Grants Revenue Fund from the Director of Finance - Provision for Other Grants to the Department of Licenses and Inspections. And Bill No. 040333, an Ordinance 23 authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2004 within the Grants Revenue Fund from the Director of Finance - Provision 4 BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365 for other Grants to the Department of Human Services - Office of Emergency Shelter Services. And Bill No. 040334, an Ordinance 6 authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2004 from the General Fund, certain or all city offices, departments, boards, and commissions and from the Grants Revenue Fund, the Director of Finance - Provision for Other Grants, to the General Fund, certain or all city offices, departments, boards, and commissions. And Bill No. 040365, an Ordinance 15 authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2004 within the Grants Revenue Fund from the Director of Finance - Provision for Other Grants to the Director of Finance.

Thank you. Is there someone from the Administration here to testify? And we also have Councilman Clarke and Councilman Goode.

My name is Rob Dubow, and I serve as the city's budget director. You have copies of the overall 5 BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365 testimony, and specific testimony from the departments. I can read my testimony or you can have it read into the record and go straight to questions, if you would prefer. To read it, or do you want to just have it read into the record?

Have it into the record.

We are available for any questions. We would like to ask for a suspension of the Rules so those bills can be considered at the next Council session.

Thank you. Are there any questions from members of the committee?

Councilman Clarke.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thought I was about to get away scot-free.

I couldn't 6 BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365 believe it myself.

Actually, my question centers more around the demolition, and the particular demolition on the western Brewerytown project. And if I could get a little clarity on that, what the process is. Because I know there were some questions on the demolition and subsequently the conveyance.

Commissioner Solvibile is approaching the table.

Good afternoon. My name is Bob Solvibile, Acting Commissioner of Licensing & Inspections. As of Tuesday afternoon we received the ranges from Minority Business Enterprise Council. And the buildings will be bid, I believe, late this week, which is actually tomorrow, or Monday of next week. And the water emergency number, we work with Procurement and various other agencies to get this done. We expect the asbestos removal to begin some time next week, and then the 7 BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365 demolition will start.

One concern I have. I recently drove by there, and the horses are back.

We will use the -- well, the horses will not be a problem. We will use enforcement activity to get them out of there. As soon as the contract is awarded, we will make sure the horses are removed.

Because I am concerned we may send the asbestos team there and the horses --

We won't waste any time. I realize the critical path this needs to take, and we are staying on top of it on a daily basis. We estimate the bid to come in at about $1.2 million.

I am sorry? I didn't hear that number.

We estimate the bid to be around $1.2 million.

That's for the entire complex?

The entire complex. 8 BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365 It is several large commercial buildings.

Does that also include the building in Oxford Street, at the triangle, where the garage is currently located, or is that just on the stables?

I believe the stables and a building that was actually occupied in the Brewerytown area that's coming down. Most of that area that was drawn on the map that was sent over from OHCD and from Redevelopment Authority and from Kevin Hanna's office, everything that was yellow on that map. And I forget, looking at the addresses. I know it was at least four large buildings that are being demolished.

Okay.

And it is exactly what -- we worked closely with Kevin Hanna and OHCD. We know exactly what needed to be done to get this project, to have it continue.

Thank you, Madam Chair. 9 BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365

Question I have for L & I. I don't know who can answer this question, whether you, Ron, or Mr. Solvibile. What is the status of the Hanson system regarding the computers?

I am not allowed to say the word "Hanson."

Mr. Solvibile will reluctantly answer that question.

It is supposed to be utilized by L & I.

I understand that. I will be able to give you almost a daily -- I receive a daily briefing from staff. We will be live in the demolition area complete. We revamped the demolition area because of some changes in the technology. That will go live either tomorrow or early next week. The whole department will be live on August 5 of '05. And in the interim we will have various stages of the system coming up. At the end of the day, inspectors in 10 BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365 the street will be able to receive their work via internet, wireless, paperless, in a paperless world, and they will be able to enter their work either on a home computer or on their office computer, without ever having paper change hands. The first paper that will be created would be the Notice that is printed out to go to the owner. And we have even gotten to the point where the work will print out in the city's mailing room, the printer is there and the sorter is thereto stuff it, and it will go right out from there. That whole process presently takes, probably, a good week. If everything goes perfect, it takes a week to get a Violation Notice out. It will go probably within to 48 21 hours, we will have a Notice in the mail to 22 the owner. So that's what at the end of the 23 day. 24 We hope that Council staff will be able to have -- we know that Council staff 11 BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365 will be able to have access. And if they want to know the status of the building and exact steps that we have taken, it will be right on your monitor there. It is just, hopefully, a user-friendly system

I thank you. Are there any other questions? Thank you. I believe the Managing Director's Office, i had a question. Do you have a contact person in the Managing Director's Office that we can work with on these news boxes? I have a problem with them along Frankford avenue.

I don't think there is anyone here from Managing Director's Office. But we will tell you who to contact.

Is there some way I can get an answer to that eventually?

Yes.

Do you know anything about it, Bob?

Very, very little. 12 BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365 Dominic Verdi, a Deputy Commissioner of our staff, has been working with the Managing Director on honor boxes. And I believe it is either Ted Gill or Bob Allen from the Managing Director's staff who are in charge of that project. And I will ask Dominic Verdi to give the Chair a paper to share with the committee as to where we are with that.

I would appreciate that. Thank you. Are there any other questions? There are no questions for or against these bills? Is there anyone else here to testify for or against?

I think everybody else's testimony also is attached to mine. And we can put that into the record, too

With that, we will adjourn. (Public Hearing adjourned.) - - - 13 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC MEETING of the COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS - - - Thursday, April 29, 2004 - - - Public Meeting conducted by the Committee on Appropriations, held in Room 400, City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the above date, to consider action on the following: BILLS 040089, 040090, 040333, 040334, 040365 - - - PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI, Chair COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER - - - 14 PUBLIC MEETING - 4/29/04

Our Committee on Appropriations now will go into our public meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter on the bills.

We are in the meeting?

Yes.

Madam Chairwoman, I make a motion that Bill No. 12 040089 be accepted and reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and a suspension of the Rules. (Duly seconded.)

All those in favor? Opposed? Therefore, Bill No. 040089 will be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation, with a suspension of the Rules so as to permit first reading in the next session of Council. Councilman.

I make a motion 15 PUBLIC MEETING - 4/29/04 Bill No. 040090 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation, and vote for suspension of the Rules. (Duly seconded.)

All those in favor? Opposed? Therefore, Bill No. 040090 will be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation, with a suspension of Rules so as to permit a first reading at the next session of Council. Councilman Mariano.

I make a motion that Bill No. 040333 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and suspension of the Rules so the first reading can be read at the next Council hearing. (Duly seconded.)

All those in favor? Opposed? Therefore, Bill No. 040333 will be reported out of this Committee with a 16 PUBLIC MEETING - 4/29/04 favorable recommendation, with a suspension of Rules so as to permit first reading at the next session of Council. Councilman Mariano

I make a motion that Bill No. 040334 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and a vote for a suspension of Rules so it can be on first reading at the next Council hearing. (Duly seconded.)

All those in favor? Opposed? Therefore, Bill No. 040334 will be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and with a suspension of Rules so as to permit first reading at the next session of Council.

I make a motion that Bill No. 040365 be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and a vote for suspension of the Rules so that it can be read at the next Council hearing. (Duly seconded.) 17 PUBLIC MEETING - 4/29/04

All those in favor? Opposed? Therefore, Bill No. 040365 will be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and with a suspension of Rules so as to permit first reading at the next session of Council. That ends our hearing on appropriations, and I want to thank everyone. And good afternoon. (Public Meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.) - - - 18 C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Thursday, April 29, 2004, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS _________________________ DEBRA A. WHITEHEAD