TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tampa Wheels Out Savings Plan

ADVERTISEMENT

By ELLEN GEDALIUS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 11, 2008

TAMPA - Even after two recent failed attempts at turning city work over to the private sector, Tampa still is considering outsourcing work in its Fleet Maintenance Division.

In the city's sights are a staff of eight city employees who keep tabs on what vehicle parts are needed and what's in stock. They order parts, are responsible for stocking, and distribute parts to mechanics.

That work could be done by a private company, said Irv Lee, the city's public works director. Doing so could save the city at least $300,000 a year and is something many municipalities have already done.

"This is not a new concept," Lee said.

The very notion of privatization, however, is controversial at City Hall. Mayor Pam Iorio's efforts to turn security and janitorial work over to the private sector were unsuccessful. The city administration decided outsourcing the security work didn't provide enough savings, and the city council last month rejected outsourcing the janitorial work with a 6-1 vote.

The council has agreed to let a private company do some mowing work for the parks department, but some council members went along with that only because the parks director said no city employees would lose their jobs as a result of the move.

The janitorial, security, mowing and fleet maintenance privatization ideas were all proposed by the city's Efficiency and Effectiveness Task Force, a group the mayor formed last year to help the city find ways to save money in light of property tax reform.

The ultimately unsuccessful janitorial and security proposals garnered the most attention, but the city is now reviewing three bids for the fleet maintenance contract.

The city's Fleet Maintenance Division fixes and maintains the city's more than 3,000 vehicles. The division's 62 employees do about 32,000 repairs a year. The parts store is akin to a NAPA Auto Parts or an AutoZone, Lee said.

Greg Spearman, purchasing department director, said the city will move slowly on deciding whether to outsource the work. First, officials need a firm sense of how much money the city would save.

"We have to do an extensive analysis," Spearman said. "We don't know what council would do with this one."

Spearman's remark referred to several heated city council meetings over the janitorial contract.

Councilman John Dingfelder was the most vocal critic against privatizing city services. He said this week that just as he didn't support the janitorial plan, he won't support the fleet management plan, either.

"We have hard-working employees," Dingfelder said. "It's a mistake to privatize and lay them off, especially in this horrific economy.

"Council has already spoken loud and clear on our attitude" to privatize, Dingfelder said.

Council Chairman Tom Scott, who also voted against the janitorial contract, said he would look at the fleet management plan on its own merits. He wants to know how much the city would save and how many people would be affected.

"Does the city win in this case?" he said.

Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at (813) 259-7679 or egedalius@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT