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02-23-2010, 03:23 AM
Now if any of you disgruntled employees read the news; you can see that the mayor has said you all eat filet mignon for dinner while the citizens eat cat food. If you look further, you can read some bloggers agree and think you are worthless! I hope some of you watched the council meeting tonight! It spoke volumes.
I am assuming that this should be a wakeup call for everyone and now, more than ever, is a time to stick together. All unions were approached last year for reductions, and we all came up with solutions. This year will be the same, and if they were conducting fair negotiations, the unions may find some fair cuts again. But it is becoming obvious that some people do not even want us to have a job. NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE EMPLOYEES (who are also taxpaying citizens) TO UNITE!!

02-23-2010, 05:51 AM
Face it, the Cape Cops are already one if not the best paid departments in SWFL and you've got excellent benefits. It's tough economic times and your going to have to sacrifice just like everyone else. If you think otherwise your in denial.

For a bunch of nancy boys who write tickets and make DUI stops all day you guys have got brass balls to expect raises right now. It's amazing what you think your worth to the city is.

btw your cry that "we're taxpayers too" is weak. Do you really think the mayor and city council care what 250 or so city employees fighting for raises think, when they represent an economically hard hit city of over 150,000? Suck it up and be glad they're only asking for a wage freeze instead of a 6% pay cut, like Naples PD is facing.

02-23-2010, 05:59 AM
Take home car program may go bye bye., you can at least kiss goodbye the days of the oldest patrol car being no more than 4 years old!

02-23-2010, 06:51 AM
Cape Coral city employee’s pay and perks in peril
Feb 22, Brian Liberatore • bliberatore@news-press.com

1:10 A.M. — Cape Coral is spending less on compensation and overtime, a look at the 2009 salaries shows.

But if city leaders want to keep local taxes from rising again, many believe Cape Coral will have to examine employee benefits, pensions and head count.

“We have to figure out a more efficient way to deliver services,” Mayor John Sullivan said. “The money’s not there. What are we going to do? Keep raising taxes?”

Department directors have cut overtime 30 percent and closed all open positions. The unions have agreed to wage freezes, furloughs and cuts to other compensation.

But if tax revenue continues to fall — as the city’s financial staff expects — it may not be enough. The city will have to find a compromise that keeps costs down without making Cape Coral an unattractive place to work. Some are calling for cuts to benefits and pensions — two enduring perks of public sector employment — which continue to increase, while salaries and overtime decrease.

A look at employee compensation paid in 2009 shows:

• The city spent $73.6 million on salaries, overtime and other compensation in 2009 — down 12 percent from the same period in 2008.

• Employees received $2.7 million in overtime. That’s a 32 percent drop from 2008 and 44 percent from 2007.

• Employees earned $6.8 million in other pay, such as buyback of unused leave and out-of-title pay for employees who do the work of another position.
That’s down 27 percent.

• Seventy-three employees grossed more than $100,000 in 2009 — most of them in the police and fire departments.

Benefits are key

Employees are the city’s single largest expense. More than 60 percent of a property tax bill goes to employee compensation, as does 44 percent of a stormwater fee and a quarter of a utility bill.

Salaries are only part of the story.

While overtime, salaries and other compensation are down, health and pension costs continue to skyrocket. Cape Coral will pay about $14 million this year — 9 percent higher than last year — for employee health benefits and $18.2 million in pension contributions – up 30 percent from last year.

The city has to examine those benefits if it hopes to lower staff costs, said Steven Riggs, chairman of the city’s Financial Advisory Committee.

“There’s only a few levers you can pull within personnel costs,” Riggs said.

Riggs’ committee last year proposed city employees pay $50 of their $525 per month health insurance premium. Right now, the city covers the full cost of the individual plan, while employees pay for family plans. The proposalwould shave 7 percent off health care costs.

Cutting benefits is a sensitive subject. The city’s unions balked at the proposal last year.

Weaning the city off its pension program also could save millions in the future, Riggs said. Right now, city employees are guaranteed regular payments after they retire. If the city eliminated the pension program for new employees it could save millions.

Overtime policy

The city’s police, fire and public works departments combined cut overtime 22 percent last year. They are looking at a similar drop again this year.

Department officials say they have run out of room to cut.

If a firefighter can’t come to work, Chief William Van Helden will take a rescue truck offline instead of staffing the unit with overtime. The department’s overtime budget dropped from $1.1 million in the last fiscal year to $581,000 this year.

The Police Department cut overtime on training and special details, said Deputy Chief Jay Murphy.

The department’s $165,000 in overtime for the first quarter of this year is down 42 percent.

The rest of the overtime, Murphy said, comes from arrests that extend beyond an officer’s normal hours, court time and emergencies where an officer is called back to work.

Most of the city’s top overtime earners in 2009 were in the Public Works Department.

Overall spending on overtime and salaries was down, but nine employees made in excess of $15,000 in overtime. James Blair, who oversees
utility hookups, made $32,000 in overtime — about 60 percent of his salary.

Department director Chuck Pavlos pointed to a department-wide reorganization in 2009, which he said will save the city $3 million per year.

“Because we were going through the reorganization … we didn’t want to fill some positions,” Pavlos said. It was cheaper to pay overtime than fill the spots with new employees.

Mayor has warning

Cutting compensation will involve the city’s seven unions, which represent nearly 90 percent of the Cape’s 1,342 employees. The city’s chief union negotiator left this year.

Sullivan said he wants to bring in an outside negotiator. That person or company could have some impact on the contracts, but the council has
final say.

“Everybody’s going to have to cooperate,” Sullivan said. “I’m not about to stand still while residents eat Puss ‘n Boots (cat food) and employees eat filet mignon.”

02-23-2010, 11:17 AM
this is happening everywhere in the US. Property values are down and people who are losing their jobs certainly can't afford higher taxes - especially in Cape Coral where high taxes and impact fees have caused people to walk away from their homes. The other problem is that the chief hires people in at starting salaries of his choice. The practice of working overtime to pad pensions has also had a negative impact. So, some have benefited from working the system to the extent that everyone is going to take a hit. Forget city pension, start looking at state models (Florida is listed as one of the "solid" states when it comes to employee pensions).

02-23-2010, 01:12 PM
Well, it looks like the people who replied here is part of the "I hate city employees" group. The truth is that LCSO does not pay for their insurance and they pay nothing in family coverage!! CCPD also pays 7% of every paycheck into their pension, LCSO pays nothing!! That brings down CCPD’s salaries, but you all do not want to see that.
Teachers pay nothing for insurance coverage and a quarter of the cost for family coverage that Cape Coral employees do.
Oh and your precious vehicles!! The officers or union did not ask for them, they are not part of any union contract!! But if they do take them be prepared for a huge capital expense increase because they will be dropping out of service. 24 hrs a day kills brand new cars in a year to a year and a half. You all seem to forget that all the employees also live in the city and also want to save taxes. But we are willing to try to work ideas out, not just make off the cuff comments.

02-23-2010, 05:16 PM
solution
Get rid of Murphy
Get rid of the SWAT team and toys
Get rid of a Captain position.
This will reduce about $400,000 a year

02-23-2010, 06:16 PM
solution
Get rid of Murphy
Get rid of the SWAT team and toys
Get rid of a Captain position.
This will reduce about $400,000 a year

I gotcha another 248,000 in savings, getting rid of all of the correct dead weight.

MURPHY
Salary 136,899.27
Insurance Benefits 7,997.64
144,896.91

CONNELLY
Salary 126,444.31
Insurance Benefits 6,955.20
133,399.51

Average captain cost:
Salary 116,000.00
Insurance Benefits 7,500.00
123,500.00

We only need 3 (Support, Operations, Administrative) which leaves salary savings for 3:
370,500.00

Total savings getting rid of 5 of the dead weight
648,796.42

All in favor signify by saying eye? Motion carrys!!

02-23-2010, 07:41 PM
solution
Get rid of Murphy
Get rid of the SWAT team and toys
Get rid of a Captain position.
This will reduce about $400,000 a year

I gotcha another 248,000 in savings, getting rid of all of the correct dead weight.

MURPHY
Salary 136,899.27
Insurance Benefits 7,997.64
144,896.91

CONNELLY
Salary 126,444.31
Insurance Benefits 6,955.20
133,399.51

Average captain cost:
Salary 116,000.00
Insurance Benefits 7,500.00
123,500.00

We only need 3 (Support, Operations, Administrative) which leaves salary savings for 3:
370,500.00

Total savings getting rid of 5 of the dead weight
648,796.42

All in favor signify by saying eye? Motion carrys!!

I'd be all for that in addition to a wage freeze. :wink:

02-23-2010, 11:47 PM
There has been a wage freeze for over a year now!!! what planet have you been on??

02-24-2010, 12:26 AM
There has been a wage freeze for over a year now!!! what planet have you been on??

The "I'm miserable and need as much company as I can get" planet. "Thats why I read and post on LEO websites even though I am not an LEO."

The Bung
02-26-2010, 08:22 PM
Take home car program may go bye bye., you can at least kiss goodbye the days of the oldest patrol car being no more than 4 years old!

Only problem is if we go to shift cars that get used 24 hours a day they wont last 4 years. We might use less cars but we replace them more often so in the end there is no savings. This is why so many departments have take homes.

02-26-2010, 11:26 PM
Only problem is if we go to shift cars that get used 24 hours a day they wont last 4 years. We might use less cars but we replace them more often so in the end there is no savings. This is why so many departments have take homes.

Thats why i say disband SWAT and liquidate the teams assets. The Cape doesn't need a SWAT unit and they're a joke anyway. I've never lived anywhere else where the SWAT unit has 24+ hour standoffs. Talk about redicoulus! Beside the LCSO has recently shown they can handle any needs the Cape has just fine.

While were at it disband the mounted patrol and aerial units too.

What does the Cape need an aerial unit for?

And the mounted guys, what do they do, patrol "taste of the town" and a few other outdoor events? Disband it and put more foot patrols out for those events. It might not save any money but at least it will be getting spent on officer pay rather then maintaining a Mounted unit.

02-27-2010, 12:08 AM
It will cost the city $1500 to send a certain sergeant to school to learn how to become a FTO sergeant. Last I heard CCPD is not hiring right now and wont for a while. The need for a FTO sergeant?

Savings $1500.00 for the tax payers.

The Bung
02-27-2010, 12:21 AM
Only problem is if we go to shift cars that get used 24 hours a day they wont last 4 years. We might use less cars but we replace them more often so in the end there is no savings. This is why so many departments have take homes.

Thats why i say disband SWAT and liquidate the teams assets. The Cape doesn't need a SWAT unit and they're a joke anyway. I've never lived anywhere else where the SWAT unit has 24+ hour standoffs. Talk about redicoulus! Beside the LCSO has recently shown they can handle any needs the Cape has just fine.

While were at it disband the mounted patrol and aerial units too.

What does the Cape need an aerial unit for?

And the mounted guys, what do they do, patrol "taste of the town" and a few other outdoor events? Disband it and put more foot patrols out for those events. It might not save any money but at least it will be getting spent on officer pay rather then maintaining a Mounted unit.

I keep hearing about this 24 hour stand off, must have been before my time. As far as LCSO covering for the Cape, this was coordinated ahead of time to have them be on call for one weekend. I don't think LCSO would agree that they want to handle all Cape Coral SWAT issues, all the time. Maybe I'm wrong. I wasn't on the team when that happened but I felt the same then too.

I am guessing you do not work for CCPD since you mention the mounted unit. Unless I am missing something it doesn't cost any money to store saddles in a garage. We don't have horses or unit anymore.
As far as the air unit, I don't know what that costs the city other than the employee pay, I know LCSO maintains the planes and copters but not sure if Cape helps pay that so i won't comment.

02-27-2010, 01:14 AM
Guys!!! and Ladies...,

If you dont wake-up, we will be an agency of the past...Havent you heard that the Mayor and the Sheriff have already been negotiating. The city is looking at saving over 4 million in merging the police to the Sheriffs Office. I have an inside scoope that said the only reason the Mayor hasnt brought it up yet, is that he is secretly politicing the other members of counsel. Mayor Johnny boy is giving us away!!! Sheriff Scott has not totally bought in on the idea as of yet...but when will he cave?

Look at what just happened to West Palm Beach PD....Suck it up and keep our mouths shut!. Lets ride this out gracefully. it is obvious that some of you just work AT the police department, while most of us work FOR the city and its citizens. You worry more about the administration instead of just doing your JOB...You are the ones that will never be happy, do less than the others and will live a dull boring life....GROW UP!!!

Why do we have one of the top law enforcement agency's in the state....LEADERSHIP. When I pass you whinners up for promotion....you can whine about me also, if your still around!!!

AIN'T Scared!!!

02-27-2010, 01:22 AM
When you learn how to spell whiners, we'll worry about whether or not we have to pass you up. The reason the department is one of the best is because of the people who work there. The leadership is lacking. If it was any good, the scandal wouldn't be more than a memory. Instead it's ongoing.

02-27-2010, 02:08 AM
solution
Get rid of Murphy
Get rid of the SWAT team and toys
Get rid of a Captain position.
This will reduce about $400,000 a year


I agree....Get rid of the silly wanna-be SWAT team and their $100,000.00 toy truck. They have had it for over two years and and used it for what?

All the $$$ for schools, ammo, training, equipment, rifles, ( A city SWAT team does not needto have .50 caliber barret rifles at $3000.00 a piece after optics and they were never issued, shot or deployed) also the OT or comp time..cut all this junk out

This saved money could be used for real police requirements rather than filling insecure ego's

Put this money to keep pensions contibutions in tact, assist on benefit packages from budget- not to bread pompous laziness that plague the swat team officers...

Cape's swat team has not had to be used in two or more years and when they were required,,they had to call LCSO to take over and complete the objective. The second time they were called...they were all on a cruise and no one knew...so Cape called LSCO to respond and complete the objective..... Hmmm...so why do you guys have a swat team???

ohhh by the way, low risk- drug search warrants are not SWAT call out guys...but you do it to justify your exsistance. looks good to justify stats on paper..

02-28-2010, 04:51 PM
Why do we have one of the top law enforcement agency's in the state....LEADERSHIP.

We Don't. Leadership... LOL OMG now that's funny!

02-28-2010, 05:10 PM
Yeah thats right we are the flagship for calea

that makes us great ...for real? Calea is waste of money and a joke

02-28-2010, 10:46 PM
What happened to West Palm Beach PD?

County wide, FMPD is broke they will be cutting staff major league. Watch the county will take over, why pay over and over three sets of brass and several SWAT teams its over folks trust me.

Show up at the FOP meeting Monday big news the dept is folding.

Kurt save us please !

Shame on anyone who does not make this meeting dont cry to the FOP, they will be no longer.

03-01-2010, 03:38 AM
Yeah thats right we are the flagship for calea

that makes us great ...for real? Calea is waste of money and a joke

How much does that flagship status cost us each renewal. Don't forget to add the embroidered shirts, mugs, jackets, hats, t-shirts and all the other treats in the goodies bag each evaluator gets as a "thank you" when they leave.

03-01-2010, 04:27 AM
With future guest bloggers that don't know what they are talking about I feel great that u guys will change everything for the better!