Layoffs and Outsourcing Services Are Possible as City Forms Budget for FY 2012
About a dozen residents showed up for a public session on the City's budget.
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Layoffs and outsourcing University City services are some options the City is considering as it drafts the budget for Fiscal Year 2012.
About a dozen residents attended a budget meeting for the public on Wednesday night at Mt. Gideon Church, at 6505 Etzel. University City's deficit for 2011-2012 is about $900,000. That sum doesn't include next year's one million dollar buyout of residents impacted by the 2008 flooding of the River des Peres.
City Manager Lehman Walker said University City is going to have to make "major adjustments." He said "our expenditures are outpacing our revenues." He said the City has to take a look at being more efficient. He said personnel is the City's largest expense, so the City will look ''internally'' to reduce jobs.
Walker said U City residents are accustomed to a high level of service and that may have to be re-examined. He said no decision has been made, but one possibility is outsourcing trash collection. He said the City spends more than two million a year on that service.
"We're looking to see if that will save us a bunch of money," he said. But he acknowledged it was a controversial topic. And he added "I don’t want to be in the position where I have to lay off a bunch of people."
But he said it's important to look at "what can we do that impacts us the least, but saves us as a city money. "
Some of the City's money is out on the street. Walker said about a thousand residents have not paid their trash bills. "They owe the City more than a million dollars," he said. One person hasn't paid a trash bill in 20 years according to Walker. The City has started putting liens on peoples homes who are delinquent in their trash payments.
Walker said while he's faced with making some hard decisions now, he said it'll put the City on a good course. "Within 2 years things are going to be much better," he said.
Mayor Shelley Welsch and Councilwoman Lynn Ricci were also in attendance at Wednesday's meeting. It was the third in a series of public hearings on the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. City Manager Lehman Walker will present a draft budget to the City Council in February. There will be additional hearings on the budget from April-June.
In This article
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University City City Hall
6801 Delmar Blvd, University City, MO -
Mt. Gideon Missionary Baptist Church
6505 Etzel Ave, Saint Louis, MO
daniel r boehmer
8:02 am on Thursday, January 27, 2011
Rather than simply "outsourcing" and eliminating employees, U City should look at getting rid of services that few people need or want. For example, why do residents have to get a permit to live in U City ("residency permits"). What city in its right mind (ok - maybe cities in China) registers its residents? Why do citizens have to go through all kinds of paperwork simply to do simple maintenance to their house -- I have to get a permit to simply REPLACE crumbling concrete steps, complete with plans! The plan is simple -- look at what I have currently and replace it!
I am told permits are there to protect me. BS - It is to protect employees who are doing jobs that really do not add any value.
Why have inspectors whose job is to harass homeowners -- my sister had to spend thousands of dollars to defend herself against a city inspector who thought it was illegal for her to grow bamboo on her property.
I am sure there are tons of other tasks that do not need to be done. Daniel R. Boehmer
Barbara Bishop
9:40 am on Tuesday, February 8, 2011
I've always believed that the services that Saint Louis County provides should NOT be duplicated by University City. I think enough savings can be found by streamlining the City Administration positions and giving us what we really want which is continued exceptional service in Police and Fire protection.
Maggie Stanley Majors
12:13 pm on Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Mr. Boehmer:
I highly recommend you do some research about the history of occupancy permits and other permit practices in U-City.
Simply put, these measures protect renters (and home buyers, too). Renters will know what it means to be protected against a landlord who refuses to make repairs. But in U-City they have a more interesting history than that. Occupancy permits - along with a number of other measures - were part of a movement unique to U-City. They were enacted in the 1960s as part of the civil rights movements to both prevent white flight, prevent housing discrimination against African Americans and ensure "a fine, diversified stock of housing" (Legacy of Lions, p. 160).
To find out more read Legacy of Lions (ISBN: 0960667407) - see specifically p. 160 -
or University City (ISBN: 9780738520063) . Both of these books are available at the University City Public Library.
As an individual I am sympathetic to you and your sister's plight. I, too, have paid court fees in U-City for failing to bring my property up to code in a timely fashion. But sometimes individuals have to make sacrifices that are for the greater good of the community. I am proud to live in a city that recognizes that fact.
And, finally, what's wrong with a city providing jobs for its citizens?
Maggie Stanley Majors
PS. A city registering its citizens is common practice in many parts of the world, not just China.
3rd Ward Rogue
7:06 pm on Saturday, April 9, 2011
In the past, very few of our fire fighters or police officers lived here. Hopefully this has changed!
Fannye
11:12 am on Monday, February 21, 2011
With the last city manager she stressed the importance of recycling in University City with the assurance that it would enhance our finanicial picture. I would like someone preferably the city manager to let us know in dollar amounts if this project has enhanced our city budget. As a citizen I am encouraging home owners to recycle because it helps our city. No one has reported on the Recyling Project since it's inception. Let's hear from our city officials.
3rd Ward Rogue
2:26 am on Saturday, April 9, 2011
I agree Fannye.
I think our landfill is being watched closely but rumor is that it is near full. I have no way to verify this either. Recycling always makes sense, but I think Mayor Adams mentioned that once it is full we will have to travel further to get rid of waste and this cost will probably have to be picked up by residents.