Here are some topics of interest from recent Board of Commissioners meetings:
11/24/09 10:04 am
Community Centers
The county has taken another step forward toward construction of three new community/senior centers in District Two. The Board of Commissioners formally approved a funding plan for money from a federal program, including $6 million worth of projects serving District Two.
The funding comes from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), an annual program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Among other purposes, the CDBG funds capital construction that benefits targeted population such as low-income citizens and seniors.
Of the $6 million, $5 million is for a Central DeKalb senior center, and $1 million is towards a new facility for The Center for Pan Asian Community Services, a non-profit serving District Two residents.
The one in Central DeKalb will replace the Mack Love Senior Center (30329) in Mason Mill Park. The Mack Love Center will be repurposed to serve the community. The new center's proposed location is under site analysis to ensure that it does not take up valuable parkland.
The Center for Pan Asian Community Services, to be built in the Chamblee-Doraville corridor, will be geared to serve immigrants. Additional funding will come from the private sector thus creating a partnership with the county.
In addition to the $6 million cited above, the county received additional CDBG funds to help plan renovations for the Briarwood Recreation Center (30319). This step constitutes a renewed investment in the recreational needs for that part of the county.
In anticipation of these CDBG awards, the county jump-started the construction timeline this summer by securing a loan from HUD. I discussed the details under senior centers in my July update (See July 2009 Archives):
Energy Grant
Thanks to money from the federal government's stimulus package, the county will be able to improve the energy efficiency of its buildings. The county formally accepted $6.5 million in a grant from the Department of Energy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The money will be used for capital spending to retrofit or repair existing buildings. Addressing current deficiencies will help in the long run by saving money in energy costs.
Among the specific projects approved by the Board of Commissioners are new roofs for a pair of library branches serving District Two, Briarcliff Library (30329) and Chamblee Library (30341).
Management Contracts
The Board of Commissioners (BOC) wants to create a new public-private partnership to operate the county's recreational facilities, particularly its tennis centers and golf courses.
Last fall, the county Parks and Recreation Department attempted to terminate existing contracts with vendors who manage the tennis and golf facilities. The BOC rejected the parks department's request and instead instructed the department to draft a new long-term contract that would encourage private vendors to invest in capital improvements and maintenance of the county facilities. [See June Archives]
Such contract should allow the vendor to prepare a user fee structure, subject to county approval, that allows the vendor to recoup its operating and investment costs, and to offer programs that benefit targeted populations--youth, low-income citizens--in the county.
To date, the county has not presented a contract structure that satisfies the BOC. As a result, the BOC has repeatedly extended the existing management contracts to buy more time. Those contracts include DeKalb Tennis Center, located in Mason Mill Park (30033), in District Two.
Currently, the county loses money, overall, on its recreational facilities, paying out more in contract fees to the vendors than it recoups in revenue. The goal is to have the private vendors absorb the maintenance responsibilities and expenses while allowing them to make enough money to be self-sustaining operations.
June Digest- (See June 2009 Archives)
Performance Audit
In a previous commentary about the county work force (see link below), I discussed the benefits of a performance audit to help the county improve the efficiency of its operations. The Board of Commissioners took a step in that direction by hiring an outside company to review the county's information technology department.
The firm of KPMG has been hired for an operational audit at a cost not to exceed $127,000. Previously, KPMG conducted a forensic audit of the IT department in response to publicized irregularities in the county's purchasing contracts.
KPMG will make recommendations with regards to the IT department's structure in order to yield improved performance. This type of analysis is critical to the county and the Board of Commissioners in maintaining government services in light of anticipated revenue declines.
Work Force
http://www.commissionerrader.com/news/news291.html
Police Purchases
My highest priority remains public safety. To that end, it is imperative to provide the police department with the needed personnel and equipment. Recently, I voted in favor of hiring additional police officers and purchasing new bulletproof vests.
The Board of Commissioners formally accepted a grant of approximately $3 million from the federal government to hire 15 new officers during the next three years. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Justice through its COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP).
When the grant funds expire in 2012, the county is obligated to retain those officers for at least one year. That financial requirement limits the scope of the county's request in the grant application. Should the county elect to retain those positions permanently, as is my hope, it needs to exercise foresight in budget planning during the years leading up to the grant's termination.
In the meantime, the challenge for the county is to ensure that it has an adequate number of patrol vehicles for its new officers. Before the county considers purchasing new vehicles, it is reviewing the current inventory of take-home vehicles to ensure that all belong to essential personnel. If not, then those vehicles will be reassigned to patrol officers.
Such reallocation of existing resources is important to help the county stretch its budgetary dollars, especially as it faces projected revenue declines in the coming years. I discussed the need for fiscal efficiency among public safety departments in my July update (link at bottom):
The purchase of bulletproof vest will be done through a matching grant program with the U.S. Department of Justice. The county and federal government are each putting up $27,000 for purchases during the next two years.
The vests are the latest in a series of purchases approved by the commissioners to ensure the police department is better able to protect citizens' life and property. Back in August, I supported the purchase of GPS systems, infrared cameras and vehicle warning lights at a combined cost of nearly $1.9 million.
Public Safety Budget
http://www.commissionerrader.com/issues/issue39.html
The county has taken another step forward toward construction of three new community/senior centers in District Two. The Board of Commissioners formally approved a funding plan for money from a federal program, including $6 million worth of projects serving District Two.
The funding comes from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), an annual program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Among other purposes, the CDBG funds capital construction that benefits targeted population such as low-income citizens and seniors.
Of the $6 million, $5 million is for a Central DeKalb senior center, and $1 million is towards a new facility for The Center for Pan Asian Community Services, a non-profit serving District Two residents.
The one in Central DeKalb will replace the Mack Love Senior Center (30329) in Mason Mill Park. The Mack Love Center will be repurposed to serve the community. The new center's proposed location is under site analysis to ensure that it does not take up valuable parkland.
The Center for Pan Asian Community Services, to be built in the Chamblee-Doraville corridor, will be geared to serve immigrants. Additional funding will come from the private sector thus creating a partnership with the county.
In addition to the $6 million cited above, the county received additional CDBG funds to help plan renovations for the Briarwood Recreation Center (30319). This step constitutes a renewed investment in the recreational needs for that part of the county.
In anticipation of these CDBG awards, the county jump-started the construction timeline this summer by securing a loan from HUD. I discussed the details under senior centers in my July update (See July 2009 Archives):
Energy Grant
Thanks to money from the federal government's stimulus package, the county will be able to improve the energy efficiency of its buildings. The county formally accepted $6.5 million in a grant from the Department of Energy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The money will be used for capital spending to retrofit or repair existing buildings. Addressing current deficiencies will help in the long run by saving money in energy costs.
Among the specific projects approved by the Board of Commissioners are new roofs for a pair of library branches serving District Two, Briarcliff Library (30329) and Chamblee Library (30341).
Management Contracts
The Board of Commissioners (BOC) wants to create a new public-private partnership to operate the county's recreational facilities, particularly its tennis centers and golf courses.
Last fall, the county Parks and Recreation Department attempted to terminate existing contracts with vendors who manage the tennis and golf facilities. The BOC rejected the parks department's request and instead instructed the department to draft a new long-term contract that would encourage private vendors to invest in capital improvements and maintenance of the county facilities. [See June Archives]
Such contract should allow the vendor to prepare a user fee structure, subject to county approval, that allows the vendor to recoup its operating and investment costs, and to offer programs that benefit targeted populations--youth, low-income citizens--in the county.
To date, the county has not presented a contract structure that satisfies the BOC. As a result, the BOC has repeatedly extended the existing management contracts to buy more time. Those contracts include DeKalb Tennis Center, located in Mason Mill Park (30033), in District Two.
Currently, the county loses money, overall, on its recreational facilities, paying out more in contract fees to the vendors than it recoups in revenue. The goal is to have the private vendors absorb the maintenance responsibilities and expenses while allowing them to make enough money to be self-sustaining operations.
June Digest- (See June 2009 Archives)
Performance Audit
In a previous commentary about the county work force (see link below), I discussed the benefits of a performance audit to help the county improve the efficiency of its operations. The Board of Commissioners took a step in that direction by hiring an outside company to review the county's information technology department.
The firm of KPMG has been hired for an operational audit at a cost not to exceed $127,000. Previously, KPMG conducted a forensic audit of the IT department in response to publicized irregularities in the county's purchasing contracts.
KPMG will make recommendations with regards to the IT department's structure in order to yield improved performance. This type of analysis is critical to the county and the Board of Commissioners in maintaining government services in light of anticipated revenue declines.
Work Force
http://www.commissionerrader.com/news/news291.html
Police Purchases
My highest priority remains public safety. To that end, it is imperative to provide the police department with the needed personnel and equipment. Recently, I voted in favor of hiring additional police officers and purchasing new bulletproof vests.
The Board of Commissioners formally accepted a grant of approximately $3 million from the federal government to hire 15 new officers during the next three years. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Justice through its COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP).
When the grant funds expire in 2012, the county is obligated to retain those officers for at least one year. That financial requirement limits the scope of the county's request in the grant application. Should the county elect to retain those positions permanently, as is my hope, it needs to exercise foresight in budget planning during the years leading up to the grant's termination.
In the meantime, the challenge for the county is to ensure that it has an adequate number of patrol vehicles for its new officers. Before the county considers purchasing new vehicles, it is reviewing the current inventory of take-home vehicles to ensure that all belong to essential personnel. If not, then those vehicles will be reassigned to patrol officers.
Such reallocation of existing resources is important to help the county stretch its budgetary dollars, especially as it faces projected revenue declines in the coming years. I discussed the need for fiscal efficiency among public safety departments in my July update (link at bottom):
The purchase of bulletproof vest will be done through a matching grant program with the U.S. Department of Justice. The county and federal government are each putting up $27,000 for purchases during the next two years.
The vests are the latest in a series of purchases approved by the commissioners to ensure the police department is better able to protect citizens' life and property. Back in August, I supported the purchase of GPS systems, infrared cameras and vehicle warning lights at a combined cost of nearly $1.9 million.
Public Safety Budget
http://www.commissionerrader.com/issues/issue39.html
(Commissioner Jeff Rader represents District Two on DeKalb County's
Board of Commissioners. He was reelected in November of 2010 for
another four-year term.)
Please encourage your neighbors to sign up for my e-mail updates. Go to my web site, www.commissionerrader.com, and click on the "news signup" link at the bottom.
Please encourage your neighbors to sign up for my e-mail updates. Go to my web site, www.commissionerrader.com, and click on the "news signup" link at the bottom.