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May 29th, 2007 at 10:51 am
Regarding service levels, while the budget does not layoff firefighters is definitely cuts service levels. The department is down 10 firefighters from 2004. There are 8 open positions listed in this budget, three of which are unfunded. The only reason there are not 8 additional positions open on top of that is because of a federal grant.
The budget also cuts $100,000 from last year’s overtime amount (which was also cut from the previous year) and is $200,000 less than the Chief requested. The budget says this “may” result in station closures. I’m here to tell you unequivocally it WILL mean more station closings, in the neighborhod of 250 additional shifts or 125 more 24 hour periods without another fire truck open. The current year’s budget currently requires two fire trucks be closed per shift when members are on leave. That means any kind of leave; authorized vacation, sick leave or injury. If you don’t fill positions and then you take away overtime funding, you have less people to do the work. You can expect increases in the number and/or frequency of closed fire houses after July first. How many I don’t know, three of four at a time some days perhaps.
There are also statements in the budget about spending not affecting response times and Lowell meeting response times in under 6 minutes 97.3 percent of the time time. The response time statistics only account for the first fire truck on a scene pulling at the front of a building with three firefighters. That usually means making a decision of trying to make a rescue or trying to keep the fire from spreading and endangering more lives. One crew can only perform one task. The longer you need to wait for more help the longer it takes for more tasks to be done. The response time statistic does not account for the time it takes to climb reach someone on an upper floor or get hoses, ladders, equipment or a defibrillator in operation.
A one alarm building fire (essentially a one room fire) calls for a response of five pieces of fire apparatus and 15 firefighters (three each) to fill all the job assignments. Each additional alarm adds three more trucks and nine more firefighters to that number. The more companies closed the longer it takes all the necessary firefighters to get to the scene.
If we close two companies (as we do currently) we can handle a three alarm fire (approximately 33 firefighters) with what we have on duty, still requiring towns to cover the city during the fire. If we close more trucks than that, we can only staff two full alarms, requiring mutual aid to work at the fire and cover the city. The more closed Lowell stations the sooner we need to reply on firefighters coming from outside Lowell to help. If we increasingly rely on the towns (in poor shape financially too) to subsidize us, they may start to refuse to cover Lowell. Andover did this to Lawrence in the early 1990s.
Six minutes is also the time in which the brain begins to die when starved of oxygen, whether that be in a fire or due to medical problem such as cardiac arrest. This means there is little margin for error in our response times. I know I don’t want to be in the 2.7 percent we don’t make it in under six minutes. I’m not talking about saving property, this is strictly about life safety. The goal should be a minimum service level of 100 percent response times in under six minutes to give every person the best chance of survivial.
The fire department makes a budget request and gets less that we need. The police make a budget request and get more than they ask for. When the LFD budget highlights are increased costs in gasoline and mandatory servicing of saftey equipment (cut from the previous year) you know you are in trouble. The number one goal listed for the fire department in the budget is increasing manpower to provide equal fire and rescue protection for all citizens. This budget does exactly the opposite.
You won’t hear many firefighters going on record to publicly complain because you can’t when others are losing their jobs and we know how much taxes have gone up. This isn’t about a pay raise, labor issues, health insurance (we have the HMO option), its not about our crumbling firehouses or anything else. This is about providing basic life saftey protection for the public. I think the people need to know there will be service cuts despite the suppossed emphasis on public safety. When the council meets tonight you now know what more cuts to the fire department means.
May 29th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
My apologies for the spelling mistakes, “Is” should be “it” in the first line. “Reply” should be “rely” in the 5th paragraph.
May 29th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
“Jackie is right, the paper never misses a chance to take a swipe at the teachers’ union.”
If a bunch of businesses got together and conspired to raise prices in the name of the common good, you would rightly call bullshit.
But when a bunch of teachers do the same thing, you eat it up like candy. Unions and cartels are the same exact thing and both are bad news.
May 30th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Not much of a fight, unless you count adding back expenses as a “fight”. Pandering may be a more appropriate description of the action.
The proposed budget limits the tax increase to about 2.5%. For every $425K or so that is added back in, you can bump the tax increase by 0.5%. Or do they have enough courage to make zero sum changes to the budget? If so, where? Employee raise budgets? Hardly. Let’s hope that they don’t bully the manager into using the oh-so-little reserves and jeopardize the city’s financial condition.
May 30th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
very disappointed with the council ; pandering’ to the
city workers on the budget i am totally convinced that
caulfield and armand mercier should by retired by the voters
May 30th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
I would like to know which positions are targeted for possible layoffs and who currently occupies those positions. Then we can connect the dots and figure out which person is beholden to which CC. My guess is that these people are the godchildren of Caulfield and the Merciers.
May 30th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
I am so angry with what happened yesterday. I am amazed how petty M-C-M can be.
They did not have the decency to acknowledge that the City has never seen a budget presentation as the one CM Lynch presented to them. Say what you will, you know more about the City and its finances than you ever did.
Additionally, their tactic of trying to prevent the CM to set up the managerial structure he needs to run this City as he sees fit; worrying about what is going to happen to their friends and acquaintances; and then turning on the school proponents.
ENOUGH! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
May 30th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Mimi: Ever see the movie “Network”?
May 30th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
They don’t recognise good city management when they see it either because they are ignorant of it or because they are in denial.
Either is a bad situation for a CC.
May 30th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
prince some positions are kiki rudy son got laid off
bob mcmahons wife got laid off, i wonder who hired these people
i
will bet it was johnny boy!!!
May 30th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
hey folks, your so right Mimi, no decency in recognizing Lynch’s well prepared budget.. Just save the hack jobs… I think this budget flushed out the merciers, caulfields etc.. they care about patronage and not the taxpayers or good government..
Get ready for some real pain if our city adds the liek of macmahon, kazanjian and cox to the council..
May 30th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
listen up people, very hot rumors all day around city hall
john cox and mike lenzi running for council , i hope not!
if it is true, kiss the city goodbye!!!!
May 30th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
to mimi and prince of darkness. if you or one of your loved ones were being laid off, i’m sure you’d think differently. the tiny little tax increase maybe nice, but we’ll see how you feel when you have to wait in line for 2 hours to pay that bill because there isn’t enough staff.
and speaking of behalf of those being laid off, they are NOT the godchildren or caufield or mercier. just people who want to fight for their jobs, just like you would be if you were losing yours. so those 11 people are important because they provide a service to the city. you’d be wise to remember that.
May 30th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Looks like the telecom tax must pass, or a larger increase in property tax will come later this year.
On the personnel front, CC Caulfield continues to amaze with his blatant interference with the hiring/layoff process. The other two manage to dance around the issue a bit better, but still have the same goal in mind.
May 30th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
It seems to me there is plenty of money in the school budget that could be cut. The city spends two and half times more money per student than the average local parochial school. If the school committee wants to see how to hold down costs, spend some time with the principals running Saint Margarets or St. Jean D’Arc. At what point does the continued cost of public school education becomes untenuable for the taxpayer and what cost and or programs will be eliminated or shifted to other funding sources?
May 30th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
wow, after reading more comments it seems to me that you are all the ignorant ones. we don’t have any connection to anyone on the council. what’s wrong with wanting to fight for our jobs. having first hand knowledge of the budget, i know for a FACT that they are proposing new positions and keeping vacant ones while people get laid off. if you all think this is fair, then you have absolutely no compassion or common sense. i wont’ be reading this column ever again and neither will alot of others. then again, you probably don’t care
May 30th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
We need a grass roots effort to rid the city of the old cronies, for good.
May 30th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
There is defending jobs (defending the working joe)…
and then there is defending jobs (protecting the hackocracy)…
The question here is which is MCM doing? I’ve seen Lynch turn a (wrongly) very political management group into a professional administration. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt but if he is doing something wrong in his budget pleas say what it is specifically.
Without specifics I have no reason to think this isn’t patronage defending itself. I’m willing to listen, but I haven’t heard anything for me to think Lynch’s budget is anything other than adequate.
The city is in a tight spot and we can’t afford the financial luxury of enabling political patronage at the expense of efficient administration.
May 30th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
I would hope that the CM is deciding to eliminate positions that are either redundant or not as vital to managing the city as others. If that reasoning is used, then it would make sense that there are lay offs while other positions remain open.
May 30th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
RM’s sarcasm towards Bernie Lynch regarding hiring someone from “Chelmsford” was shameful and embarassing to the city. If someone from “Chelmsford” is qualified, so be it. She showed her true colors and they weren’t pretty!
May 30th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
So, if Moonlight is right and Cox and Lenzi are planning a run it makes district representation even more attractive!
Anyone up for a charter change commission? If the CGOBN gets control again it’ll be charter change or move because only the anointed need apply!
As far as layoffs while making hires, if those folks being laid off have the skills for the possitions being created fine move them over. However it appears the layoffs are going to impact folks that don’t have the necessary skills.
May 30th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
stop your crying!
May 30th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Fairlady, I wait 2 hours to pay a bill at City Hall as it is and the person taking my tax, excise, parking fine payment(s) is not all that pleasant. The process would likely go alot faster if the use of technology across all departments that actually linked information, would make for an easier work load and more efficient service to the consumer (the taxpayer).
As for the other two individuals running, one never met a budget that he could not inflate with gross miscalculation and a free cash fund he was not willing to raid nor could he boast transparency in government.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
I am goin g to say the Lords Prayer that moonlight is wrong and Cox, Lenzi, Kazanjian, macMahon dont rin and win.. way to scary for me…
The Inspector General and the ethics commission will have to set up office in City Hall… Holy Crap
May 30th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Jack, you should pray. Much more so, get out and volunteer for a campaign, hold signs, shout it from the roof tops!
If the guys/gals you mentioned get elected, we will certainly take a step back into the dark ages, where they and their friends benefit and the 100,000+ residents of the city of Lowell do not.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
the positions proposed for layoff are vital. one is an animal control officer. there are only 2 of them to begin with and one was mauled the other day and can’t even work right now.
another, mcmahon’s wife, she’s been with the city over 20 years, and has top seniority in her dept. i would think seniority would still matter, and if her being slated for layoff isn’t political/personal, then I don’t know what is.
library secretary, she has top seniority as well and is the ONLY person that does her job at the library. she has no assitance and is the ONLY admin position there. she does ALL the billing, payroll, invoicing, accounts payable by herself. she also does public desk time because the library is already short staffed. furthermore, there is a vacant position in the budget that should be eliminated before she is. this vacant position of lib. assistant is one of many lib. asstants already there.
Again, it is not logical or fair to propose NEW positions and KEEP VACANT ones while laying people off. No one should have to lose their job. I hope none of you ever have to face losing your job unexpectedly when you are the main breadwinner and have a family to provide for. and if you have gone through it, then have compassion. you don’t have to be a bleeding heart liberal to feel compassion.
also, lynch wants to give himself a 15,000 while doing less work by having a new asst. position at 82,000 to take over duties for him and another 30,000 for a typist when he already has TWO secretaries. give me a break. this is about more than a $60 tax increase.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
should say raise after 15,000
May 31st, 2007 at 8:08 am
Justme
Thank you for the additional information. It was helpful.
I still don’t want Kanzanjian, Keegan, Cox, McMahon on city council.
May 31st, 2007 at 10:22 am
If what is being done here is a reorganization rather than a simple trimming of the budget, then it certainly can make sense to propose new positions at the same time as eliminating others.
May 31st, 2007 at 11:21 am
When people in private industry get laid off (yes, it happens often)they don’t have politicians to go to bat for them. The management of the company must balance their own budgets or go out of business, so when they have to let someone go, it is in the overall interest of the company to dismiss those that are least effective for that business.
With the city historically, balancing the budget can always be done on the backs of the taxpayers, as each added cost can be spread to so many people that it doesn’t raise enough ire in any one of them. However, the cumulative effect of this policy eventually creates enough problem that there is a revolt.
The current management appears to be mindful of that trap, and has decided to run government more like a business. It is certainly cruel to those directly affected, but hopefully they can find a niche in another job (maybe within the city) that is both good for them, and cost effective for their employer.
May 31st, 2007 at 12:55 pm
If this was lean times in the city I would have no problem with people being laid off. But it is not. I will be more than happy to give up my raise if and when upper management does. Don’t give me this crap about the city not having any money when they are getting raises.
May 31st, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Just Me:
I am sorry you think that this public forum does not care about what others think; on the contrary, it is the exact reason we exist to exchange point of views; sometimes we learn and other times we teach.
No one is naive enough to believe that those involved in government are not political animals, that includes the City Managers, past and present, as well as the union leadership.
What bothered me about the budget discussions and the discussion on the lay-offs was that it focused on the individuals rather than what positions needed to be kept, eliminated or consolidated to make this city function.
I encourage you to come back and share your views. One more thing, your characterization of Lynch’s work habits is not accurate. The man is a hard worker and talented. You may not like his tactic or his style but he works hard.
June 1st, 2007 at 9:41 am
mimi i agree with you lynch is a breath of fresh air
June 1st, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Justme: “If this was lean times” - having been told our free cash was okee-dokee then finding out, actually, we’re in the hole…that’s not lean times? The previous management left a real mess behind him, and the cleanup is going to be painful. Unfortunately.
That said, several of the positions slated for layoffs are already proven to be hack hires. Not all of them are, I would guess, and you point out they aren’t. I am really sorry for anyone who’s a good worker and who was justly hired who might be losing their jobs; restructuring always hurts. Trust me, it’s happened to me on a number of occasions in the private sector.
No one’s job, in this day and age, is sacred. The closest you can get to that is a government job - and I don’t begrudge public servants a little security in an insecure world. But restructuring does need to happen sometime, and until I see evidence that there’s more going on here than streamlining some inefficiencies (and if we can’t disprove that with this transparent budget, then how can we ever?), I can offer sympathies but I’m not going to be outraged at the CM. Try being downsized by a multinational corporation some time. It’s just as painful.
June 2nd, 2007 at 4:50 pm
just me, please dont include Jo Ann Keegan in the the GOB network of cox kazanjian macmahon, Jo Ann is so independent of those thugs and hacks, she is an accomplished educated woman with a Masters in Public Health and nursing. She has a terrific family and very active in her community.. I wish the SUN would stop lumping her in with those hacks as well, just because of her fathers ties to Cox.
I know for a fact she is not on the Cox bandwagon.. Please all give her a fair chance.
June 2nd, 2007 at 6:58 pm
i have heard as well that joann is quite independent of her father and the cox gang. she deserves consideration that the others do not.
June 3rd, 2007 at 7:50 pm
thanks SD, glad you said it.. it’s so true, It awful when the SUN lumps her in with those other do nothing hacks.
June 4th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Apropos of “what camp is Joann Keegan in?” I would like to suggest to Lynne or Mimi that they start a thread for each of the CC candidates especially the non-incumbents. (I specifically did not include K-R-S because she *is* one of the non-incumbents!) If anyone has inside knowledge of any of these candidates or would like to write the biography of any of these candidates perhaps they could email Mimi or Lynne so that they don’t have to do all the legwork that this investigation will entail.
June 4th, 2007 at 11:48 am
great suggestion Paul, I will pass this along to Jo Ann Keegan and Mehmed, I certainly wont be running into Macmahon, cox, or AK..
June 4th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
excuseme wrote:
“If this was lean times in the city I would have no problem with people being laid off. But it is not.”
These are not lean times? What planet do you live on?
June 4th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
ER- I noticed that statement and had a bit of a giggle…the taxpayer is not an endless troth of funding. Our government must be held alot more accountable as to how they spend our money.
Let’s see about “not lean times”…property valuations are down (thus generating less property tax over the foreseeable future), foreclosures way up, health care costs for municipal employeess has increased by 15% in FY 08, fuel costs are way up, state and federal mandates that are unfunded,…hmmmm, where exactly did “notme” see that we were not in lean times?