Billy Barlow
OSWEGO – Mayor Billy Barlow announced today (Jan. 18) that, for the second year in a row, city overtime expenses have declined.
Total overtime for all city of Oswego departments combined in 2017 was $857,395.
The total for 2017 was significantly less than the official total for 2016 at $1,008,502, the first year of Mayor Barlow’s administration, and significantly less than the total in 2015 at $1,228,384.
All three major Oswego city departments, including the Department of Public Works, Oswego Fire Department and Oswego Police Department reduced their amount of overtime usage in the last year with the most substantial savings in the Department of Public Works, reducing overtime from $375,604 in 2015 to $242,762 in 2016 to $169,225 in 2017.
“Since taking office I have identified city overtime as an area to save money by making our departments more efficient, effectively using on shift personnel and properly allocating our resources. After trying new, innovative ideas and pushing for increased productivity we have managed to reduce our overtime expenditures by $371,000 in just two years,” said Mayor Barlow. “Moving forward we will continue to focus on managing our overtime and working on behalf of all taxpayers to control our spending and cut obvious waste in City government. We need to have the Oswego taxpayers’ interests at the forefront of our decision making and ensure we do our best to manage our departments while maintaining the quality of service our residents are accustomed to.”
Council President Rob Corradino (R-7th Ward) applauded the mayor and his department heads for working to reduce overtime expenditures and expressed his support for reducing costs and increasing efficiencies.
“Mayor Barlow has consistently pushed his department heads to find savings and cut waste in their respective departments. The notable reduction in citywide overtime is a testament to Mayor Barlow and the Oswego Common Council’s commitment to properly managing our city’s finances as we work adamantly to reduce the cost of local government for Oswego city taxpayers,” said Corradino. “As president of the Common Council, I pledge to continue identifying ways to reduce costs and ensure local government is being fiscally responsible at all times.”
Mayor Barlow also announced today the date and location of the 2018 State of the City Address, scheduled for January 30 at 6 p.m. at G.S. Steamer’s in Oswego.
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It is not possible to see if there is an overall savings in payrolls, given just the numbers from overtime. Why would the mayor leave that out? There is much more in payroll, period, regardless of less overtime! The mayor is blowing his own horn again, but for nothing. Are our taxes going up? Yes. Are there more city employees? Yes. Is overall payroll higher? Yes. So, why is Barlow tooting his horn?
Must be why he doesn’t bother to return phone calls. Even after repeated attempts. There goes 6 or 7 votes from family, hell I may run south like everyone else. Homeowners have no action , just keep pooping on residents and you wont have anyone left. Do some of your own legwork instead of sending someone to take pictures!
The elephant in the room is still the ambulance service, get rid of it and let Menter do it right.
The city looks like there’s no overtime. There’s barricades and cones everywhere a water main break has happened, streets are narrow so cars can’t pass, city owned sidewalks are not clear, the downtown snow piles are no longer taken away and potholes you can lose a car in. Great job.
do away with banking vaction time that has to be covered with ot later