SHARED SERVICESSHARED SERVICESChemung CountyChemung County

Association of Towns of the State of Association of Towns of the State of New YorkNew York

2008 Training School & Annual Meeting

February 18, 2008February 18, 2008

Shared Services means…Shared Services means…• Mergers where appropriateMergers where appropriate• Consistent levels of service for taxpayersConsistent levels of service for taxpayers• Efficient delivery of services across boundariesEfficient delivery of services across boundaries• Efficient scheduling of existing manpowerEfficient scheduling of existing manpower• Efficient use of materials and equipmentEfficient use of materials and equipment• Coordination of bids and contractsCoordination of bids and contracts• Coordination of training and safety programsCoordination of training and safety programs• Coordination of testing servicesCoordination of testing services• Specialized service programs Specialized service programs • Shared engineering effortsShared engineering efforts• SMSI GrantsSMSI Grants

How do we make this How do we make this happen?happen?

• Highway Services BoardHighway Services Board– Current members:Current members:

•Towns of Big Flats, Catlin, Elmira, Towns of Big Flats, Catlin, Elmira, Horseheads, Southport, & VeteranHorseheads, Southport, & Veteran•Village of HorseheadsVillage of Horseheads•City of Elmira City of Elmira •Chemung CountyChemung County

• The Highway Services Board will review the The Highway Services Board will review the operations and services provided by the various operations and services provided by the various municipal highway departments and explore municipal highway departments and explore opportunities where services and resources can opportunities where services and resources can be shared. The ultimate goal would be to develop be shared. The ultimate goal would be to develop a comprehensive road program resulting in a a comprehensive road program resulting in a more efficient and cost effective service delivery more efficient and cost effective service delivery system.system.

MergersMergers

• Mergers can be a valuable tool, Mergers can be a valuable tool, when used appropriately.when used appropriately.

• Chemung County and the City of Chemung County and the City of Elmira have merged the Elmira have merged the administrations of their highway administrations of their highway functions, saving taxpayers the functions, saving taxpayers the cost of one layer of administration.cost of one layer of administration.

• Estimated immediate savings in Estimated immediate savings in 2008: 2008:

$128,000 in salary and fringe.$128,000 in salary and fringe.

Consistent Levels of Consistent Levels of ServiceService

• Taxpayers should Taxpayers should have a reasonable have a reasonable expectation of expectation of responsiveness and responsiveness and quality of work.quality of work.

• Key ExamplesKey Examples– Road MaintenanceRoad Maintenance– Snow RemovalSnow Removal– Traffic Signals and Traffic Signals and

Pavement MarkingsPavement Markings

Efficient Delivery of Efficient Delivery of ServicesServices

• Municipal Municipal boundaries are boundaries are invisible to the invisible to the typical highway typical highway user.user.

• Routine Routine maintenance and maintenance and winter operations winter operations should be should be consistent across consistent across these boundaries.these boundaries.

Efficient Scheduling of Efficient Scheduling of ManpowerManpower

• Make use of expertise and current Make use of expertise and current workforce.workforce.

• For e.g., City employees may work to cut For e.g., City employees may work to cut trees down in the Town of Elmira one day, trees down in the Town of Elmira one day, while the Town may help the City haul while the Town may help the City haul blacktop at a later date.blacktop at a later date.

• Understand that workforce reductions are Understand that workforce reductions are not a focus or goal of shared services.not a focus or goal of shared services.

• Opportunities for future staff reductions Opportunities for future staff reductions could be considered by each Highway could be considered by each Highway Services Board member.Services Board member.

Efficient Use of Materials Efficient Use of Materials and Equipmentand Equipment

• No need for every municipality to No need for every municipality to own and maintain atypical own and maintain atypical equipment (graders, aerial trucks, equipment (graders, aerial trucks, pavers, etc.)pavers, etc.)

• Shared use of equipment, such as Shared use of equipment, such as the pictured tub grinder, can be the pictured tub grinder, can be coordinated.coordinated.

• Understand that each municipality Understand that each municipality will have to own and maintain core will have to own and maintain core equipment (trucks, loaders, etc.,)equipment (trucks, loaders, etc.,)

• Stockpile materials at convenient Stockpile materials at convenient locations.locations.

Coordination of Bids and Coordination of Bids and ContractsContracts

• Expand use of joint Expand use of joint services and services and materials bids for all materials bids for all to use.to use.

• Coordinate priorities Coordinate priorities and contractors.and contractors.

• Provide alternative Provide alternative to sometimes to sometimes cumbersome state cumbersome state bid contractors and bid contractors and suppliers.suppliers.

Coordination of Training Coordination of Training and Safety Programsand Safety Programs

• Coordinate required training such as Coordinate required training such as “Right to Know” and other OSHA “Right to Know” and other OSHA requisite courses.requisite courses.

• Provide multiple training Provide multiple training opportunities for employeesopportunities for employees

• Create training calendar for all Create training calendar for all municipalities.municipalities.

• Improve safety on the job.Improve safety on the job.

Coordination of Testing Coordination of Testing ServicesServices

• Coordinate testing Coordinate testing services for all CDL services for all CDL Licensed drivers. Licensed drivers.

• Reduce number of Reduce number of providers, while providers, while increasing size of increasing size of driver pool for driver pool for testing.testing.

• Create efficiencies of Create efficiencies of scale – reduce costs.scale – reduce costs.

Specialized Service Specialized Service ProgramsPrograms

• Fleet MaintenanceFleet Maintenance• Traffic SignalsTraffic Signals• Traffic Sign ShopTraffic Sign Shop• Bridge WorkBridge Work• Tree MaintenanceTree Maintenance• Tub GrinderTub Grinder

Shared Engineering Shared Engineering EffortsEfforts

• Stormwater Stormwater ManagementManagement

• Highway and Highway and Bridge ServicesBridge Services

• Government-Government-owned Utility owned Utility Locations (Dig Locations (Dig Safely NY)Safely NY)

• Pooled ResourcesPooled Resources

Shared Municipal Services Shared Municipal Services IncentiveIncentive

• The Shared Municipal Services Incentive The Shared Municipal Services Incentive Program (SMSI) was established by the 2005-Program (SMSI) was established by the 2005-2006 New York State Budget, to provide 2006 New York State Budget, to provide technical assistancetechnical assistance and competitive grants to and competitive grants to two or more units of local government for the two or more units of local government for the development of projects that will achieve savings development of projects that will achieve savings and improve municipal efficiency through shared and improve municipal efficiency through shared services, cooperative agreements, mergers, services, cooperative agreements, mergers, consolidations and dissolutions.consolidations and dissolutions.

• County has submitted a grant to New York State.County has submitted a grant to New York State.• Grant would look at ways to coordinate efforts Grant would look at ways to coordinate efforts

and reduce spending on highways County-wide.and reduce spending on highways County-wide.• Grant would look at equipment inventory, Grant would look at equipment inventory,

infrastructure, etc.,infrastructure, etc.,

Initial EffortsInitial Efforts• Merger of City and County Administrative Merger of City and County Administrative

function for Highway departments.function for Highway departments.• Coordination of Equipment and Coordination of Equipment and

Scheduling.Scheduling.• Coordination of Bids and Contracts.Coordination of Bids and Contracts.• Coordination of Training Efforts.Coordination of Training Efforts.• Follow-through on SMSI grant.Follow-through on SMSI grant.

Shared Services Quotes…Shared Services Quotes…• ““The representatives on this Board have made a commitment The representatives on this Board have made a commitment

to come together and perform a thorough review of to come together and perform a thorough review of everything we do in common, from snow plowing to the everything we do in common, from snow plowing to the purchasing of equipment and supplies, and everything in purchasing of equipment and supplies, and everything in between, and to look for areas where we can coordinate between, and to look for areas where we can coordinate these services. Our goal is simple, to provide better services these services. Our goal is simple, to provide better services to the community in the most cost effective manner.”to the community in the most cost effective manner.”

- Tom Santulli, Chemung County Executive- Tom Santulli, Chemung County Executive

• ““If there is a better way to provide services and save tax-If there is a better way to provide services and save tax-payer dollars we owe it to our constituents to look at the payer dollars we owe it to our constituents to look at the possibilities. Agreeing to come together and have these possibilities. Agreeing to come together and have these conversations is the first step.” conversations is the first step.” - Michael Edwards, Town of Horseheads Supervisor & Highway Services Board - Michael Edwards, Town of Horseheads Supervisor & Highway Services Board

ChairpersonChairperson

• ““These are sound agreements that will mean better-These are sound agreements that will mean better-coordinated services, new efficiencies and cost-savings. City coordinated services, new efficiencies and cost-savings. City and county residents will be well-served by these initiatives, and county residents will be well-served by these initiatives, which were negotiated over six months to ensure balance and which were negotiated over six months to ensure balance and fairness.” fairness.” – – John Tonello, City of Elmira MayorJohn Tonello, City of Elmira Mayor

Questions?Questions?

FACTS ABOUT CHEMUNG COUNTY

Area in Square Miles 412

Population (Census in 2000) 91,070

POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS

Chemung County is situated in the Twenty-ninth Congressional District, the Fifty-third State Senatorial District, the One hundred thirty-seventh State Assembly District, and the Sixth State Judicial District.

Chemung County has one city (Elmira), eleven towns (Ashland, Baldwin, Big Flats, Catlin, Chemung, Elmira, Erin, Horseheads,Southport, Van Etten and Veteran) and five villages (Elmira Heights, Horseheads, Millport, Van Etten and Wellsburg).

POPULATIONS(2000 Census)

Chemung County 91,070

Elmira -City (Incorporated 1864) 30,940

Elmira Heights (Incorporated 1896) 4,170

Horseheads (Incorporated 1837) 6,452

Millport (Incorporated 1923) 297

Van Etten (Incorporated 1876) 581

Wellsburg (Incorporated 1872) 631

TOWNS(2000 Census)

Ashland 1,951

Baldwin 853

Big Flats 7,224

Catlin 2,649

Chemung 2,665

Elmira 7,199

Erin 2,054

Horseheads 19,561

Southport 11,185

Van Etten 1,518

Veteran 3,271