Last week, I emailed a list of questions to Ken Mercer, director of the Convention Center. His answers are in this week’s North Coast News. He answered the questions via email, which he also cc’ed to Mayor Dean Bunkers; Art Wuerth, the Finance Director (and the only one of this list that I had cc’ed); Mike Styner, the Police/Fire Chief; Ken Lanfear, the Public Works Director; and Chris Rush, the Publisher/Editor of The Daily World.

At the end of his answers, Mr. Mercer included this:

Ps: Att. Chris Rush:
At 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday I received these questions from Tom S. He knows we are off for the weekend[ just like the Daily world office] yet sends this out late Wednesday. The intent is to call us early Monday and push the envelop or maybe even better get no response. This is an on going problem just ask our Mayor. I received a reminder from Tom that I need the answer!!!! on  Friday
at 6:12 p.m. knowing full well no one is in our office[just like the D.W.]
I protest this kind of treatment and talk down to City government and have had enough.When no one is talking to Tom and you have NO relationship with the City I want you to know why. There is only sarcasm, twisted facts and attempts at comedy as we work through tough budget times. What has happened to professionalism and integrity in the North Coast News?

heading, on Page 90: “OPERATIONS TEMPORARYLY (sic) SUSPENDED DUE TO DIMINISHING REVENUES”

Recommended 2010 budget

Today’s  Daily World story:

By Rachel Thomson

OCEAN SHORES — Mayor Dean Bunkers, in an attempt to close the $1.3 million shortfall to the City of Ocean Shores’ 2010 General Fund budget, plans to eliminate the position of fire chief and put one person in charge of the police and fire departments.
Fire Chief Jim Hodges is on paid administrative leave until Dec. 31, when his position will be cut.
The mayor has appointed Police Chief Mike Styner to serve as the interim fire chief. Starting Jan. 1, Styner will serve as director of public safety, supervising both departments.

Some of you demanded that the mayor terminate the fire chief and combine fire and police departments. That, as of yesterday, is in process. There’s no need to take cheap shots at Jim Hodges, now. (Please remember to follow this Web site’s “commenting policy,” which reads, in part: “This is not a place to be conversational or a place where personal attacks are allowed. We hold the right to remove any comments that take on a personal nature or that we deem to be bigoted, hateful, or racially offensive. “)

Combining fire/paramedics and police probably should have happened three years ago, last year at the latest. Easy to say, in retrospect, but it should have been obvious that a city this size could not (especially in tough times) support two units, both growing, both with huge overhead/administrative costs.

Hodges, in the past year, has faced extraordinary criticism. Some of it was certainly justified, based on his expansion of the department — just as the economy was going the other way. But keep in mind that City Council approved the new

Just received this, from Mayor Dean Bunkers:

Press Release November 11, 2009
Layoff:
On Tuesday, November 10, the Fire Chief of Ocean Shores was placed on administrative leave, with pay, pending further action by the Mayor.  The Mayor has advised Chief Jim Hodges of his intention to recommend to the city council that the position of Fire Chief be eliminated as of December 31, 2009. The Mayor will be asking the city council to reorganize the Fire Chief and Chief of Police duties into a single FTE, i.e. Director/Chief of Public Safety.  In anticipation of that action Chief Hodges was placed on administrative leave with pay.
City procedures require that certain steps be taken before any final decision on the layoff can be issued and those steps are proceeding.  The layoff of the Chief will be a painful but necessary decision brought on by the worsening fiscal crisis facing the city.
The Mayor has expressed his deep appreciation for the dedication of Chief Jim Hodges and thanked him for his years of service to the citizens of Ocean Shores.

The Police Chief is now acting as the interim Fire Chief.

“I move that the city council instruct the mayor to prepare and present to the council a balanced 2010 budget that takes into account the discussions and input we have had tonight and eliminates the anticipated $1.3 million deficit by a combination of department budget cuts and personnel reductions, including the lay-off of the Library staff, employees at the Interpretive Center and other changes he sees as appropriate, including the possibility of an EMS utility.”

Passed, 5-1. (Creighton against; Johnson absent.)

City Council voted last night, 5-1 (Dave Creighton against), on a wide-reaching motion presented by Bob Crumpacker to give the mayor power to lay off all Ocean Shores Library and Interpretive Center staff, possibly create an EMS Utility and other things he feels appropriate, in order to present a balanced 2010 budget. The city says that, after last week’s vote “reject” of Proposition 1 (lid lift/EMS levy), the preliminary 2010 budget has a $1.3 million deficit.

Several of the 70 or so who attended last night’s council meeting/town hall on the budget protested the creation of an EMS Utility. Garland French presented a motion to begin the process of creating an EMS Utility. Creighton commented that this would be an “end around” on last week’s vote. The council vote on it was 3-3 (French, Mike Patrick, Peggy Berry for; Creighton, Crumpacker, Dick Skewis against; Nick Johnson not present.) After Mayor Dean Bunkers said he would not cast a tie-breaking vote, Crumpacker brought for his motion.

Earlier, Lillian Broadbent suggested savings in the preliminary budget that could add up to $700,000. Al Lizakowski presented a plan to combine Police and Fire departments. Both, and several others, opposed the quick creation of an EMS Utility. This would be a charge on the water/sewer/storm drain bill that would create revenue to fund Emergency Medical Services.

Bunkers said he would not send out layoff notices this week, and would further study some of the suggestions made last night.

Seven employees of Ocean Shores will earn more than $100,000 this year, including Mayor Dean Bunkers and Fire, Police and Public Works department heads. (Mayor Bunkers donates 10 percent of his earnings back to the city.)
Three other employees are on pace to earn more than $90,000 in 2009.
A total of 29 city workers will earn more than $75,000, based on year-to-date earnings provided by the city to the North Coast News. These figures reflect earnings, and do not include the cost to the city of benefits.
Overtime payments, following layoffs, have bolstered paychecks, particularly in the Fire and Police Departments.
The 11 police officers have earned an average of $70,071 so far in 2009 (high of $88,063, low of $56,953), which annualizes to $84,085. Three are on pace to earn more than $95,000, this year.
The 11 firefighter/paramedics have earned an average of $69,131 so far in 2009 (high of $89,490, low of $52,774), which annualizes to $82,957. Three firefighter/paramedics are on pace to earn more than $98,000 in 2009.

The city’s payroll through the first 10 months of the year was just over $4.9 million. Subtracting around $150,000 for part-timers, the 82 full-time employees have earned an average of well over $50,000 thus far.
Rising salaries and declining revenues have been a devastating combination, for Ocean Shores, where just three years ago, the “ending balance,” commonly referred to as “reserves,” of the city’s General Fund was $2,287,618. The 2010 preliminary budget projects that balance to be down to $131,343, at the end of 2010.

It might be a good idea to consider some numbers, re ambulance fee receipts (“collections”):

2004, $249,403; 2005, $307,899; 2006, $308,453; 2007, $577,523; 2008, $655,507; 2009 (projected) $550,000; 2010, (budgeted) $531,000

Like most city departments, salaries in EMS/Fire have jumped, in recent years: up a whopping 34 percent since 2006 ($1,050,117 budgeted for 2010, $782,167 in 2006). Sounds like a lot, and it is . . . but EMS receipts increased 72 percent ($308,453 to $531,000) in the same time period, even with a “conservative”/low end budget figure. Other city departments, based on numbers in the preliminary budget, had increases of 10-30 percent in salaries, 2006-2010. Yet how many of them are bringing in revenues that put them anywhere near self-sufficiency? Sure, there’s the Water Utility, which has grown a huge surplus . . . thanks to users/residents being charged high rates for poor quality.