MEMBERS: SWANSON, PINTO, YOUNG, STEWART COUSINS, OROS

STAFF: SCHECTER

GUESTS: WILLIAM RANDOLPH (CTY. EXEC. OFFICE); TONY LANDI (ACTING COMMISSIONER ENVIRONMENTAL FACILITIES); TOM LAURO (DEPUTY DIRECTOR YONKERS WASTEWATER FACILITY); JADISH MYSTERY (DEPUTY DIRECTOR, TRAINING, YONKERS WASTEWATER FACILITY) NORTRUD SPIRO (ACTIVIST)

The meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m. at the Yonkers Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Commissioner Landi started the discussion by saying that the 7 plants that the County operates are functional but are beginning to show their age. The County will be starting a preventive maintenance program. They also will develop a formal training program for the staff. The cost will be a total of $250,000 for all the plants. It will amount to approximately $1000 for each person, which will enable the employees to learn how to repair all the equipment. It will be put into the year 2000 budget. They also are working on better communication with the lab. Eventually they are hoping that with proper automation, the evening shift at Yonkers would only use 3 people instead of 7 but they are not sure when that will be.

Commissioner Landi is expecting to put into the Capital Expenditures budget $40,000,000 for the facilities - $15,000,000 for the year 2000, and 25,000,000 for the year 2001. Of this, $10,000,000 will be targeted for Yonkers. They also want to build a building at the Yonkers plant to hold the entire inventory and hire an inventory clerk and an assistant clerk. The cost of the addition will be $5,200,000 for a 20,000 square feet building. George Oros questioned the need for 2 people for inventory and why the building. The Commissioner said they need someone to handle the requisition of material and a central

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location is needed to obtain supplies easily. These 2 positions will be filled with people presently working for DEF. However, the County Executive said he wants Blind Brook manned 24 hours a day and for this he will need 4 additional positions.

Commissioner Landi admitted that there are personnel problems and they are going to start having the New Rochelle office come on site and take a more active role and make their presence known at the Yonkers Plant. Legislator Swanson questioned when the New Rochelle office comes on site what do they do. The Deputy Director said they would handle personnel problems. She also wanted to know if they would ask employees if there are any problems. The Deputy Director said they would speak to the employees.

Legislator Stewart-Cousins said that Mr. Jones, an employee of the Yonkers plant, complained about the lack of communication, a morale problem among the employees, and the distribution of checks among other things. They receive their checks Thursday afternoon. He wanted to know why they could not receive them in the morning. The Deputy Director said they pick up the checks from New Rochelle at 1 p.m. and then come back to Yonkers where they hold the checks until the end of day. They do this because the employees are being paid for Friday, Saturday and Sunday even though they haven’t worked these days yet.

Legislator Pinto wanted to know what was the philosophy of the 12-hour shifts. The Commissioner said that 10 to 12 years ago everyone worked 8-hour shifts and then they decided to try a 12-hour shift on a trial basis. Legislator Pinto said if they work a 12 hours shift for a full week, the employee can then take a week off. Hasn’t anyone questioned the system? The Commissioner said it was suggested looking into it. The maintenance crew is going to go on an 8-hour shift. With the 12-hour shift they thought it would cut down on absenteeism but it didn’t work. He said also with this system, employees are able to hold down a second job and in some instances, the 2^nd job is more important

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Legislator Pinto wanted to know if the Health and Safety Officer has a status report on safety and health issues. They will address safety issues. There are no major hazards in the Yonkers plant.

Legislator Swanson wanted to know when results will be seen from the Black and Veatch study. She knows it will not be overnight. Commissioner Landi said he made a presentation to the County Executive last month and he expects it will be 12 to 18 months before any changes are made. It is possible that the Deputy Directors will be switched around – taken from the facility and sent to the home office. But in order for improvements to be made, they will need the cooperation from the Budget Department, personnel and the Board of Legislators. Legislator Swanson said the Board doesn’t want the problem to continue, that money is not the answer. Maybe the staff needs to be reshuffled. The Commissioner said that during 0 budget years, personnel and maintenance were affected.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.