Mike Adams, Bartlett, TN, recently wrote, “Does anybody have any experience with outsourcing the reading of water meters? We have approximately 20,000 meters in our system and I would like to know the pros and cons and costs associated with outsourcing this service.” A couple of suggestions, thanks to one of our members, include hiring a local private sector company or using temporary agency staff. While using cost per meter read done by the local private sector employees was higher, the agency felt the higher performance and reliability they provided outweighed the additional cost. With the second option, using temporary staffing to complete the task, was lower than using their own employees, the added benefit was that performance and reliability were much improved. One drawback of this method was the need to provide training on the routes when temporary workers changed positions. Sometimes just discussing what the options are so that employees realize you might be considering the change is enough to improve job performance! “Our city is talking about changing from family, medical leave and vacation to Paid Time Off (PTO). Can you tell me what the advantages and disadvantages might be?” 52 APWA Reporter
March 2012
Historically, employers have given a specific number of hours per month, or days per year, that can be used for family or personal illness or medical appointments, and another block of time is designed to be used for vacation time for the employee. For years, the two have been interchangeable, depending on how closely they are monitored by human resource staff and the definition assigned by the employee handbook. In this scenario, you could take “sick” leave to go to the doctor or dentist, possibly take a family member to the doctor, and stay at home if you are ill. Frequently, that gets stretched because no one questions the employee unless they are out for an extended time (long enough for a cruise to the Bahamas), vice versa, vacation could only be taken for that purpose. If you used all of that, then you had to take time off without pay and could not use sick leave for that purpose. Many agencies have adopted the PTO which entails earning your leave time and having it placed into one pot and you determine how you use the time off. Some places really like that and the employees enjoy the flexibility. One of the benefits to the governing body is that benefits that are allowed to accrue beyond the current fiscal year would be paid out in the current salary scale rather than what it was when it was earned. It’s gaining popularity and is a local agency decision. “When does the need to increase revenues come into conflict with the existing esthetics
and the desire to protect our architecture from vandals or others who appear to cheapen the area?” What’s that old saying, “Your freedom ends at the end of my nose.” Meaning, more or less, that many people think any plan that doesn’t directly assault you should be fair game. Oft times decisions that are made are made from the level of desperation rather than one of clear thinking. It’s one thing when publicly owned stadiums and arenas are “sold out” to the highest bidder so their name will be well publicized. One could rationalize that using the money for that form of name-recognition advertising is justified because it helps to pay the outstanding debt on the structure. However, is it going too far afield when cities sell direct advertising on the sides of bridges or other publicly owned infrastructure? For several years we have seen the “wrapping” of telecommunications or traffic signal boxes or solid waste containers as a positive because they were smaller, often located on street corners or along sidewalks or yards where they were unattractive and graffiti was often a source of frustration. Even ads there seemed to be a part of community betterment rather than out of place; it was better than what we had. Public Transit has sold ads for years. Now, though, one major city is selling advertising space on bridges built by world-renowned architects many years ago. As you could imagine, residents are not handling the issue very well. Those who find this an offensive practice
