The following letter was sent to Harford County Council President Billy Boniface and the members of the county council. A copy was provided to The Dagger for publication.
President Boniface and Council Members:
Tony Passaro and I were invited to comment on a 2008 report on Harford County government efficiency. The copy furnished us was three years old without update information. Therefore current status disappointingly is unknown. Our preliminary comments are attached for your perusal. The time for action is now. Inaction is costing the taxpayer $3,000, 000 per month.
Roy Whiteley/Tony Passaro
REVIEW COMMENTS ON THE JULY 8, 2008 REPORT Entitled “COMMISSION TO STUDY EFFICIENCY & ECONOMY IN GOVERNMENT” And County Executive, “DAVID CRAIG’S SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 RESPONSE TO SAME”.
The poignant fact is that this report and its subsequent response have apparently lain fallow for over three years. To date, it appears that no implementation plan has ever materialized or even been formulated, not even a draft of one. Therefore, our first take is to judge the report an academic exercise. Government may move slowly but a three-year hiatus in starting a badly needed cost-cutting program clearly indicates that “cutting costs” has a very low priority in the mind of the County.
We found this review effort an exercise in futility because we did not have knowledge of any actions taken or the present status of the recommendations of the initial Commission report. In three years, certainly some actions have been taken. The question is “Which Ones?”
Since we have made assumptions about the apparent lack of action or visible evidence thereof and so that we may continue to assist in this review, we respectively request that we receive, within one month of this memo, an update on the status of every item suggested within the Commission report. This information obviously must be available to the committee or commission that is to be appointed before April, 2011 to formally address these reports. We feel our critique will aid in their efforts while also assisting in the future drafting of an appropriate plan of action complete with significant benchmarks and critical paths.
Based on the information we have in hand, we offer the following initial observations on the incomplete status of the report and response:
POINT 1: The first page of this report emphasizes “….it is crucial that the Craig Administration work diligently to reform the culture of government in order to emphasize innovation, efficiency, accountability, and creative thinking.” This may have been boldly stated but little if any effort appears to have been made to implement such a program. Make cost cutting and driving operational efficiency a top, if not the TOP priority of the Administration.
POINT 2: Raise both the priority and the visibility of such a program. We suggest that cash rewards based on percentage of money saved for the best ideas put forth by taxpayers as well as county employees and make it visible. Publicizing the rewards and benefits of cost cutting in government operational efficiency will positively convey to county employees and the taxpayer the intent and resolve of this Administration.
POINT 3: The report faults the predisposition of government employees to maintaining the status quo because of the way they are evaluated. The basic evaluation is to determine if the employee meets minimum standards for employment. There apparently is no recognition for going above and beyond one’s minimum requirements. No incentives are apparently offered to spur additional effort, advancement or other rewards.
It is time to update employee review forms with scores for “making things better”. There are numerous private sector companies that utilize and offer such reviews, materials, and training negating any need to re-invent the wheel to emulate them. Such reviews frame the employee as an integral part of the system and rates the employee as 1. small, 2. minor or 3. significant contributor to the mission statement. Merit would be much more appropriate.
The report reinforces our position by stating “it appears that many employees are predisposed to performing maintenance of the status quo over innovatively solving problems, that the County’s use of technology is limited at best, and that the County’ process (and we would add, Mission Statement) could stand to be better defined.”
Unfortunately, some employees in management we have recently encountered believe that “government cannot be run like a business”. While we would agree that government cannot be run as business to make a profit, running government as though that is the goal would only improve its working efficiency. We strongly suggest that those people who think and perform otherwise be asked to take AMA Business Management courses to dispel this misconception.
POINT 4: The fact that Deputy Directors are classified and therefore not directly responsible to the County Executive is bizarre. This egregious decision must be corrected by any means possible. Actually, for any administration to function responsibly all government employees need to serve “at will” just as private sector employees do, to help change the culture of government employees. Accountability, along with concern for achieving excellence in their job performance and its affect on the County and its taxpayers should be paramount.
POINT 5: The Board of Education budget dominates more than 57% of the County budget. The Superintendent’s recent request for a $26 million increase in the budget in these trying economic times is poorly conceived and a clear indicator of the myopic public employee culture addressed throughout the report and this critique.
Funding of only the Maintenance of Effort value should be employed by the Administration to bring about a meaningful working relationship between the BOE and the Administration for the betterment of all taxpayers. While it is apparently too late to initiate legislation this year to correct this Statewide problem, unless it could be introduced as an emergency legislation, the problem needs to be addressed by the Administration and the entire Harford County delegation immediately following the 2011 session so that a unified County action can be promulgated and so that the Administration can organize and solicit support from the other 23 jurisdictions of the State.
POINT 6: Automated timekeeping is necessary to control actual employee attendance and overtime. Apparently, some advancement in this effort is being undertaken but it appears to be meeting resistance and is moving at a snail’s pace. Proper prioritization and assignment of human resources and overtime starts with accurate time keeping.
POINT 7: The report suggests the consolidation of Construction Management under one agency. This falls into line with our thinking. The consolidation of multiple government operations will inevitably eliminate duplication and redundancy. Where does this suggestion stand today?
POINT 8: The cost of $50,000 per year to the taxpayers of the County to rent back the Highlands Community Association building the County already owns is “penny wise and pound foolish”. This lease back arrangement should be renegotiated immediately. To wait for the lease renewal to come due is an irresponsible shirking of fiscal responsibility.
POINT 9: Maintenance request centralization reinforces the comments we have repeatedly offered urging countywide centralization of as many operations as possible to effect maximum cost savings. It confirms our call to operate government “like a successful, profit making business”.
POINT 10: The use of County owned vehicles by employees for personal transportation i.e. take home cars, is a perquisite the County taxpayers cannot afford. County vehicles should never be assigned on a permanent basis for take home or personal use UNLESS the vehicle and its driver is assigned to emergency service and is “on call” when the vehicle is in their possession. All vehicles should be kept under one centralized command so they can be quickly located, scheduled for maintenance, and prioritized for usage.
POINT 11: Cell phones are the most inefficient and expensive means of person-to-person communication. Next to computers, they are the most abused pieces of equipment in use by business and government. The County already has several radio communication units in service. They should be utilized to the maximum extent possible with vehicles equipped with two way radio communication for those persons authorized to use the vehicles and have the need for full time communication contact. This will help to reduce the cost of telephone services.
POINT 12: Many experts, both inside and outside of government have advocated an integration of Countywide IT systems. However, each little entity, notably Sherriff’s department (who recently purchased $350,000 in redundant equipment) and Libraries have consistently fought system centralization. Centralization efforts must be intensified before further decentralization expands in defiance of the efforts to do otherwise.
POINT 13: The restructuring of the Department of Public Works into either separate departments or specialty divisions is long overdue. Such entities would better serve the taxpaying public by having one homogeneous mission rather than working in a fractured multifaceted organization with competing cultures, missions, and goals. Certainly using specialty departments for specific services like water and sewer, construction management, solid waste transportation, and design functions makes sense by concentrating expertise and resources in a homogeneous entity that will promote a unified culture of purpose, mission, loyalty, and performance.
POINT 14: The creation of special/revenue authorities needs more study. Certainly such entities and like entities such as TIF’s have provided positive results in many jurisdictions and thus deserve further consideration.
POINT 15: Adoption/implementation. The response to this report offered by the Executive, while extensive, is incomplete. It contains numerous comments by the Executive Staff, requesting clarification by the County Executive. These requests appear to remain largely unaddressed. It indicates that this initiative has been assigned a “LOW PRIORITY” and therefore unimportant and not worth serious consideration.
Perhaps if the action noted in our first item of this critique were promptly addressed “POINT 1- Make cost cutting and driving operational efficiency a top, if not the TOP priority of this Administration…”, we might be able to reach a more positive conclusion. As the County Executive’s response indicates, “It all starts with a documented plan with measurable objectives and performance milestones periodically updated and regularly communicated to staff, elected officials, citizens, and businesses.” The question is “Where is the plan?”
In summary, we feel that being offered the opportunity to perform this review, without updated data on hand, is analogous to being asked to perform a fool’s errand. We were expected to address these matters without having all the details. We can only properly respond to your request after we receive the proper information to address. Time is of the essence because each month we delay wastes another $3,000,000 of the taxpayer’s money.
Respectfully submitted,
Tony Passaro
Roy Whiteley
confused says
Tony/Roy
This was introduced yesterday – any thoughts???
HB 1295 Delegate Hixson, et al
PROPERTY TAX – CHARTER COUNTIES – LIMITS
Authorizing the county council of a charter county, by a two–thirds vote of the full membership of the council, to set a property tax rate that is higher than the rate authorized under the county’s charter or collect more property tax revenues than the revenues authorized under the county’s charter, notwithstanding any provision of a county charter that places a limit on that county’s property tax rate or revenues; and applying the Act to tax years beginning after June 30, 2011.
EFFECTIVE JUNE 1, 2011
TP, § 6-202 – amended
Assigned to: House Rules and Executive Nominations
Joan Ryder says
Here it comes!
A Healthy Dose says
Let’s see, David Craig has about 30 years experience in various governmental positions; Mayor of Havre de Grace, a representative of Harford County voters in the State Legislature and now Harford County Executive.
Does anybody know how much experience Mr. Passaro and Mr. Whiteley have in such matters? Could it be….. ZERO?
Elsie says
Do you have to be a “politician” to understand how things should be done? Don’t intelligent voters have a right to question how things should be done? Having a voice is having a choice. I think providing the VOTERS/CITIZENS with answers and more information about these various issues should be mandatory. Do “those in power” not have a responsibility to do things (i.e. govern efficiently) properly?
Roy Whiteley says
Political experience notwithstanding common sense and action produce results. As businessmen with over 50 years experience each we have been privileged to work with David Craig and members of the County Council to help solve the problem elephant that is killing our economy. We have met with David Craig, Billy Boniface, Jim McMahan, Coach Slutsky and many others to offer our criticism, solutions and service. Agreemnet exists in many of the topics we have discussed. Unfortunately we have a culture in government that prefers the status quo and fails to recognize that we even have a problem. To solve problems you must first admit that one exists. We have sought common grounds and are finding that efforts are being made to resolve some of our problems — just not fast enough because of entrenched resistence throughout government. If more of our taxpayers would show more interest and work toward the goals that would benefit us all we would have a more effective and efficient government. Try it. You might help us all.
frankly Speaking says
Point#4-The fact that Deputy Directors are classified and therefore not directly responsible to the County Executive is bizarre. This egregious decision must be corrected by any means possible. Actually, for any administration to function responsibly all government employees need to serve “at will” just as private sector employees do, to help change the culture of government employees. Accountability, along with concern for achieving excellence in their job performance and its affect on the County and its taxpayers should be paramount.
Deputy directors are classified county positions and serve “at will” as all other county positions but they don’t serve at the pleasure of the county executive. Only members of his cabinet ie, directors are forced to resign so that a new executive can elect his own directors when a change in office holder occurrs. Directors are in fact political appointments and deputy directors are county employyes, no matter who is in office. This is done so that people can climb the positon ladder without political favors or repercusions from a new executive. Invariably, if a new executive does not want a person in a specific dept, they’ll be moved out, but can’t be fired because a new EX does not like them.
RhinoHunter says
The Fact of the Matter is that David Craig has been nothing but a Politician and School Administrator his whole life. He has never had to function in the “real” world of limited resources. David Craig has had no problem spending what is in his mind “unlimited” taxpayer dollars. How else do you explain David Craig’s unbridled support for Public Sector Unions, Teachers, Deputies, etc.. People like David Craig and Public Unions are essentially bankrupting the nation.
no name says
Wow! We are so lucky to not have you as our CE. But hey, anything is possible.
Tony Passaro says
Dear Mr. “A Healthy Dose” of what?? Naivety …..
ZERO experience…..I beg to differ…..
Roy (87) and I (70) are both Graduate Engineers. We each have a wealth of experience, spanning over 50 years each, in executive positions. Roy as an Executive VP and I as a President of multi million dollar companies….
My final position was that of Corporate Executive, reporting directly to the Board of Directors, of Philips NV., the Dutch Multinational Electronics Company. At the time a 64 billion dollar entity..
My task was to revitalize sick, under performing divisions. I successfully revamped 6 multi-million dollar operations before my retirement. I did this by slashing costs, re-directing investment, streamlining the organizations and increasing product offerings…
After retirement, as a Professor, in a New Jersey Community College, I taught several credit courses in Business and Business Planning… I also have a business degree in Micro and Macro Economics. In addition I served as an SBA Loan Officer for TEBAC, a Trenton N.J. business incubator…
I think our joint experience can safely augment that of the competent County Executive David Craig.
Roy and I have been privileged to be asked to work with County Executive Craig and his staff in tackling this pernicious culture of indifference toward excessive spending and if asked to, will continue to do so…..
Tony Passaro
Watcher says
Lord, please go back to New Jersey (aka the smokestack state OR the tollbooth state). Bon voyage.
frankly speaking says
Tony you don’t have any experience running a govt or a department in the county government. Your knowledge of “business” does not translate to public service or to administration of public concern. Your lack of knowledge of the law, mandates, tax authority and public dealing (the taxpayer would be your stockholder in this case)would make your head spin. It is easier to critical and complain, but much harder to actually run for office and get elected.