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Thread: Purchasing

  1. #1
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Purchasing

    Creation of Junior Buyer position causes strife at work session


    This position can be justified LONG before a "tote inspector" could be justified.



    Anyone know the salary? I'm pretty sure we could find a qualified employee through a head hunting type agency. If no resume's are taken and someone is randomly picked who already works for us I'd call BS on the matter.


    About time anyone on the town board admitted to the problem we have. And that isn't a recommendation for Jerry for Supervisor. Far from it.


    I disagree. If the person is truly qualified there could be considerable savings if purchasing over all is done poorly by all the departments. Funny coming from Jim though. Friends and family plan.



    It would be in our best interest to use a hiring agency and not a "relative/friend/political kiss ass" for the position.

  2. #2
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    Why wouldn't the Town of Cheektowaga want to purchase off the County bids? The county puts bids out on everything from pencils to vehicles and allows every town in Erie County to buy from it.

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    You assume that there are no shenanigans involved with county bids? I wouldn’t make that assumption. I’d want a bid process that’s open and transparent with real, professionally drawn bid specifications. You’re talking about buying things for your town. Fashion a process that suits your town. I wouldn’t touch anything that has Poloncarz’s greasy fingerprints on it.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by grump View Post
    You assume that there are no shenanigans involved with county bids? I wouldn’t make that assumption. I’d want a bid process that’s open and transparent with real, professionally drawn bid specifications. You’re talking about buying things for your town. Fashion a process that suits your town. I wouldn’t touch anything that has Poloncarz’s greasy fingerprints on it.
    Last Year the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee recommended the town add a purchasing agent all purchases would have to go through and be approved along with that agent finding the best price.

    Department heads currently are in possession of 35 credit cards. Some board members that over see departments are not checking purchases and doing the checks and balances. It is like a unchecked spending spree on the tax payers dollar, each dept can buy their supplies from where ever. There were not enough board members on board in 2017 to get a purchasing agent and it didn't happen, along with 1/2 or $750,000 of the CBAC recommended cuts for the 2018 budget.

    2019 budget has a projected $2.9mil increase in mostly cba raises and associated taxes ....it is going to be EXTREMELY difficult to find that kind of savings in the $19mil part of the budget the unions do not control. What will happen is taxes are either going to increase OR some unpopular cuts will have to be made or both. But don't feel sad for the Union workers as the unions will still get everything in their contracts and the taxpayer will get less programs and services.
    Last edited by Electric Eye; May 30th, 2018 at 02:45 PM.

  5. #5
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    2019 budget has a projected $2.9mil increase in mostly cba raises and associated taxes ....it is going to be EXTREMELY difficult to find that kind of savings in the $19mil part of the budget the unions do not control. What will happen is taxes are either going to increase OR some unpopular cuts will have to be made or both. But don't feel sad for the Union workers as the unions will still get everything in their contracts and the taxpayer will get less programs and services.
    So if certain town functions or programs are cut does that mean we can also lay those employees off? There are really no savings unless that is done.

    I'm not anti-union or anti-labor. You just get to a point where people can't afford who supplying the services or how they are being supplied. Simple as that.

    The town is losing population. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand why.

    Just as example. Let us say you have a company mowing your lawn for the last 15 years. You know gas goes up and in general the cost of operating the equipment. But let's say you were charged $60 a month when you first started the service and after 15 years you are now paying $200 a month. Same good lawn service for the last 15 years. Good workers, nice people but get to a point where you can't afford $200 a month. Even if you can afford it you also need to do what is in your best interest. You have your own family and well being to worry about. WHo doesn't agree with me to this point?

    One day you are sifting through your mail and see a valpak coupon. Jiffy Lawn service. You call and they quote you $79 a month and including edging your lawn.

    You call the old company, tell them the awesome job they did but you are changing the company who is going to mow the lawn. Done.

    Following season you see a group of people show up and they mow your lawn. Looks no different than what the old company did and you noticed the edges are trimmed.

    I'm not being a dick or prick but in some cases we are simply paying too much for services. I don't like being told if you don't like it move. That's is BS and everyone reading this knows that.



    This is why people are leaving our town and leaving NYS.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident View Post
    So if certain town functions or programs are cut does that mean we can also lay those employees off? There are really no savings unless that is done.

    I'm not anti-union or anti-labor. You just get to a point where people can't afford who supplying the services or how they are being supplied. Simple as that.

    The town is losing population. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand why.

    Just as example. Let us say you have a company mowing your lawn for the last 15 years. You know gas goes up and in general the cost of operating the equipment. But let's say you were charged $60 a month when you first started the service and after 15 years you are now paying $200 a month. Same good lawn service for the last 15 years. Good workers, nice people but get to a point where you can't afford $200 a month. Even if you can afford it you also need to do what is in your best interest. You have your own family and well being to worry about. WHo doesn't agree with me to this point?

    One day you are sifting through your mail and see a valpak coupon. Jiffy Lawn service. You call and they quote you $79 a month and including edging your lawn.

    You call the old company, tell them the awesome job they did but you are changing the company who is going to mow the lawn. Done.

    Following season you see a group of people show up and they mow your lawn. Looks no different than what the old company did and you noticed the edges are trimmed.

    I'm not being a dick or prick but in some cases we are simply paying too much for services. I don't like being told if you don't like it move. That's is BS and everyone reading this knows that.



    This is why people are leaving our town and leaving NYS.

    The short answer is NO (at least not Union employees as they have a no layoff clause)

    Items that can be cut are Overtime, Part-time and seasonal labor. Non personal expenses, these combined make up $19mil of the budget.

    Some of the Non personal expenses can't be cut like the $4mil the Buffalo sewer authority charges the town, so now you only have $15mil to cut the $2.9mil to balance the budget and have a zero TOWN tax increase, assuming the Town board doesn't want another $250k truck.

    The same thing is holding the town hostage from making meaningful cuts that would help the taxpayer and not just the towns union employees....UNION CONTRACTS and the clauses in them!!!

  7. #7
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    The short answer is NO (at least not Union employees as they have a no layoff clause)
    This has to be changed. Simple as that. OR Salaries and/or Benes need to be cut. I know 1000's of people over 36 years if being in business that had to make cuts and did.

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    Another thing that makes it very difficult is Taylor law and past practices. The arbitrators will often side with the union when the town attempts to takes away something that the town has been doing for decades.

    The one way to get budget cuts in full time labor is to ask the union to lower the min staffing requirements, then the town has to hold their ground until they get it. No budging on it.

    I think but I am not positive that if the unions say no, they go under the previous contract which would presumably give them lower pension credits for that time frame until the new CBA is approved, so it does affect the union members.

    The taxpayers cannot keep paying a couple million more every year to cover negotiated pay and healthcare increases for union members.

    FYI: Contracts expire the end of 2019 and 2020.

  9. #9
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by cheektowaga View Post
    Why wouldn't the Town of Cheektowaga want to purchase off the County bids? The county puts bids out on everything from pencils to vehicles and allows every town in Erie County to buy from it.
    Quote Originally Posted by grump View Post
    You assume that there are no shenanigans involved with county bids? I wouldn’t make that assumption. I’d want a bid process that’s open and transparent with real, professionally drawn bid specifications. You’re talking about buying things for your town. Fashion a process that suits your town. I wouldn’t touch anything that has Poloncarz’s greasy fingerprints on it.
    Maybe it's time to look at privatizing everything and getting the county to take over the police department if that is possible.

    It's time to think out of the box instead of having people leave the town year after year.

  10. #10
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    As it stands right now the sanitation dept is under funded by almost $1mil as per page 12 of the 2018 budget.

    This is probably because of exemptions. ( if they apply to the garbage tax?) or could it be something else?
    This is causing that tax to be lower then it should be, then add in the fact that it is a percentage of your assessment ( IMO not the smartest way of doing a service fee). I pay $200/yr some pay more some pay less.

    The number should be around $260, That would be per single family home and per unit for 2 family (2x) and 3 family(3X) without any EXEMPTIONS. Now not knowing what other type of properties get town provided garbage pick up...this number could go down if I more are added then what I used.

    If you abolish the sanitation dept and make people get there own trash pick up ( may cost more), BUT this may be the way to get around contract clauses that don't allow outsourcing and other restrictive contract language. If nothing else this could be a way to get the door open to some meaningful changes, but either way be prepared to abolish it if the unions won't change to something more favorable to the tax payer.

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