THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 22, 1996 TAG: 9603210166
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
The city saved more than $3.4 million in 1995, thanks to resourceful employees.
Changes suggested by employees ranged from things as simple as requiring five sets of keys with all new vehicles to save the city duplication costs; to actions as complex as combining the flow from sewage pump stations.
Chief of staff C. Oral Lambert Jr. said it gets harder every year to save money as city departments get more and more efficient.
``In theory, eventually, you have maximized your ability to be efficient and it becomes much more difficult to have real substantial savings,'' Lambert said, ``but right now, the efforts are showing very sound results and sustained results, and are comparing well with previous years.''
Savings in 1994 totaled about $3.3 million; 1993 savings totaled $5.1 million, Lambert said.
``If we are going to respond to the public demand to maximize the return on the tax dollar then we are going to have to continue to find creative and innovative ways to (save money),'' he said.
According to a report distributed to the City Council Tuesday, employee initiatives also helped the city avoid spending more than $2.4 million last year, and brought in $5.3 million through new grants and fund-raising efforts. Eighteen positions were deemed unnecessary, 858 services were added or expanded, and volunteers provided 18,118 new hours of free labor.
Employees benefit from the savings as well. Half of the employee-generated savings are distributed evenly among all city staff members at the end of every calendar year. In December, all city employees received $219 to reflect last year's savings.
Among the improvements cited in Tuesday's report:
The city has trained volunteer paramedics to help save lives of people involved in police situations.
The Public Information Office has installed phones in the lobby of four municipal buildings to provide citizens with easy access to the public information staff.
The Fire Department has begun using volunteers to provide fire inspections in the evenings and during special events.
The city is now requiring five sets of keys with all new vehicles, so the city will not have to pay duplication costs.
The Parks and Recreation Department consolidated six separate brochures into one.
The Police Department provided schools with radios and pagers to speed up communications during emergencies.
The Fire Department received a grant to provide 1,000 homes with smoke detectors and batteries.
The Public Utilities Department has been working on a plan to consolidate operations among 350 sewer pump stations owned by the city and the private sector. The consolidation is expected to save $1.3 million up front and $1.7 million in avoided maintenance costs.
The Parks and Recreation Department has expanded preschool programs at the city's recreation centers to provide day care while parents use the facilities. by CNB