Overtime for testing

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   Looks like we have some additional costs involving the Douglas splash pad. Today's Journal...

New regulation has city looking at splash pad costs

State requires in-person tests of chlorination system, resulting in overtime expenses.

MIDDLETOWN — New state regulations are costing the city almost $500 a week in overtime to keep the Douglass Park splash pad open this summer.

Public Works Superintendent Ron Phelps said the system was designed to reduce costs by reusing equipment previously installed for a pool, which the splash pad replaced. The water automatically shuts off if the chlorine levels ever go off-kilter, Phelps said.

But now that same system is costing the city $477.12 in overtime each week because employees must be scheduled to test the water twice a day on weekends to meet the six-hour monitoring requirements, Phelps said.

JUST BYPASS THE HOURLY WORKER AND THE OVERTIME PAID TO THEM AND HAVE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ASSIGN A SALARIED PERSON (AFTER PROPER TRAINING), TO DO THE WEEKEND TESTING ON A ROTATING BASIS. UNION NEGOTIATED RULES DOESN'T SAY THE CITY HAS TO USE A UNION PERSON TO DO THIS. 

PHILLIPS VERIFIES THIS AS CORRECT HERE....

Since the city’s water treatment plant requires an employee to be there 24/7, Phillips said the Department of Public Works could work the testing into that person’s schedule, eliminating the need for overtime.

“I think right now they are whining a bit but I think if they tried hard they could get around the overtime,” she said. “And nowhere in the regulation does it say the person doing the testing has to be a union contract person.”

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VietVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008	Post Options Post Reply Quote VietVet Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Overtime for testing Posted: Jun 12 2011 at 9:00am
	Looks like we have some additional costs involving the Douglas splash pad. Today's Journal... New regulation has city looking at splash pad costs State requires in-person tests of chlorination system, resulting in overtime expenses. MIDDLETOWN — New state regulations are costing the city almost $500 a week in overtime to keep the Douglass Park splash pad open this summer. Public Works Superintendent Ron Phelps said the system was designed to reduce costs by reusing equipment previously installed for a pool, which the splash pad replaced. The water automatically shuts off if the chlorine levels ever go off-kilter, Phelps said. But now that same system is costing the city $477.12 in overtime each week because employees must be scheduled to test the water twice a day on weekends to meet the six-hour monitoring requirements, Phelps said. JUST BYPASS THE HOURLY WORKER AND THE OVERTIME PAID TO THEM AND HAVE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ASSIGN A SALARIED PERSON (AFTER PROPER TRAINING), TO DO THE WEEKEND TESTING ON A ROTATING BASIS. UNION NEGOTIATED RULES DOESN'T SAY THE CITY HAS TO USE A UNION PERSON TO DO THIS. PHILLIPS VERIFIES THIS AS CORRECT HERE.... Since the city’s water treatment plant requires an employee to be there 24/7, Phillips said the Department of Public Works could work the testing into that person’s schedule, eliminating the need for overtime. “I think right now they are whining a bit but I think if they tried hard they could get around the overtime,” she said. “And nowhere in the regulation does it say the person doing the testing has to be a union contract person.”