Although most of the criticism in a recent Inspector General audit over excessive overtime in the Department of Public Works was directed at the previous administration, current Commissioner Harold Thompson didn’t escape scrutiny in Senate budget hearings on Friday.
The audit, said Senate Finance Committee member Sen. Anne Golden, found that three Public Works employees racked up 30 percent of the department’s overtime costs. She wanted to know what Thompson planned to do to stop such "abuse."
"We look at (overtime) with a very strict eye," Thompson said, noting that the IG recommended that certain past cases be investigated by the Department of Justice. "When we have to put out a fire at Anguilla that’s a real need" for overtime, he said. "Fixing (sewage) pump stations, that’s a real need. The fluff, no."
The commissioner said that because of the constant problems with St. Croix’s antiquated wastewater system — especially at the LBJ and Figtree pump stations — some Public Works employees are working 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
"They’re getting exhausted," he said.
Thompson was criticized by Finance Chairwoman Lorraine Berry for not submitting requested budget information in June. Instead, she received information the night before the hearing.
"I cannot accept a little more than two months and not having the information we requested," she said.
Thompson said two of his key budget officers were either sick or on leave, causing him to submit the information late.
Overall, Thompson said meeting Gov. Charles Turnbull’s edict to cut 15 percent from all government budgets will be a "challenge" for Public Works. While the department’s salary levels are among the lowest in government, personnel costs still eat up 55 percent of Public Works’ proposed general fund budget for fiscal year 2000.
The budget reflects a cut of 43 positions — 26 vacant slots and the remainder are unclassified or temporary positions that are no longer needed, Thompson said.
"At the same time, we recognize the need for additional support in critical areas such as solid waste, utilities and transportation and have budgeted for 22 vacant or new positions in the divisions," he said. "Once filled, these positions will go a long way towards addressing overtime expenses."
The department’s FY 2000 general fund budget is more than $23 million. Thompson said a cut of more than $4 million from an earlier proposal meets Turnbull’s 15 percent mandate.
Adding in the Road Fund, Sewage System Fund and the Anti-Litter and Beautification Fund, DPW’s total budget is $26,048,644.
Meanwhile, Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen, whose husband, a longtime Public Works manager, is repeatedly called to deal with sewage problems, said the "broad description" of Public Works employees as government cheats by some of her colleagues was wrong.
"This broad description makes a bad image," Hansen said. "Most people work with things most of us don’t want to deal with — sewage,for instance."
Hansen noted that her husband was slated for a $1,000 pay cut. But Thompson said he was going to recommend that he be assigned to lead the department’s new solid and liquid waste division.
Thompson said the aim of the program, which will be under a Solid and Liquid Waste Authority, is to better manage the territory’s aging sewage system and problem-plagued landfills. It will be funded by existing sewer fund fees and a proposed tipping fee at the landfills.
The department is proposing a $45 per cubic yard fee for commercial solid-waste haulers and others who use the Bovoni and Anguilla dumps starting Oct. 1. Thompson said the fees assessed to government haulers will be waived during FY 2000 so the department isn’t hit with the increased cost in solid waste transportation contracts.
