By MIKE RUSSO
The 57-page report, partially funded by the county Legislature and overseen by Malcolm Pirnie Inc., an environmental consulting firm based in White Plains, analyzed the potential advantages and disadvantages of sanitation consolidation, addressing issues such as cost, level of service and alternative management.
The sanitary district, established by state law in 1928, encompasses Baldwin, Roosevelt, South Hempstead and parts of Uniondale, Rockville Centre and Freeport. The district is run by an elected board of commissioners.
According to Robert Noble, secretary to the board of commissioners, Suozzi's report incorrectly states that the district's labor costs- which include salaries and district expenses - exceed $8.1 million, an average of over $117,000 per employee. Noble made it clear, however, that there is only one person on District 2's payroll who makes over $100,000. The reason for the discrepancy, he said, is that the report omitted part-time workers, attorneys and board members, an additional 20 or so employees. In addition, Noble said that $8.1 million is the district's budget, not its actual expenditures.
"[Malcolm Pirnie] came up with conclusions without calling us," said Noble, adding that the district has no problem with constructive criticism, and cooperated fully with recommendations on procedural changes suggested by the state comptroller's office after a 2006 state audit.
The report states that full-time employees in special sanitation districts are working less than standard full-time hours, and that they need to be paid more overtime during peak periods and emergencies. According to the report, a consolidated entity could better manage employee workloads, maximizing their potential and minimizing the amount of overtime. Based on its analysis, Malcolm Pirnie estimated that consolidating special district collection services under the management of the Town of Hempstead could result in annual savings of up to $14 million.
Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman, who conducted an audit of District 2 in 2004, has been outspoken in suggesting that consolidation of individual special districts under town management would save taxpayers millions of dollars. "Taxpayers can consider this report a 'second opinion' on a sick patient," Weitzman stated in a June press release.
Harvey B. Levinson, chairman of the Nassau County Board of Assessors, said that Baldwin residents are paying twice as much in property garbage taxes than some areas east of the Meadowbrook Parkway, such as Uniondale and Wantagh. Levinson said that all special districts, including sanitation, should be eliminated, and that town residents should all pay the same taxes. "The reason nobody knows about this is that you don't get your neighbor's tax bill," he said.
Levinson added that eliminating special districts would create more job opportunities for residents, because as things stand, he believes the district follows a system of patronage, hiring only the people it wants. He also said that if the districts were eliminated, he saw no reason why workers could not keep their jobs, since only commissioners, consultants, attorneys and other administrative personnel would be forced out.
Noble reiterated past statements that accuse Weitzman of being on a "personal crusade" to eliminate special districts. While advocates of consolidation, including Weitzman, speak in terms of millions of dollars in savings, Noble said, it costs only 55 cents per day more for the district to manage sanitation than it would the town.
James Bugler, a lifelong Baldwin resident, said that while taxes might go down if the town took over, he worries about the level of service he would receive, because he is currently satisfied with District 2's work. "They pick up whatever I put out," said Bugler. "If they mess up with the pickup, a supervisor comes by that day to make it right. I get special pickups within a week or two. In some local areas, refuse actually gets picked up on weekends or late afternoons. Who would want that?"
Bugler also said he likes having local people doing the work. He knows the local commissioners, one of whom coaches a residents' sports team. And if a local teen needs a summer job, Bugler said, he or she has a better chance of getting hired than if the district were to become part of a larger town system.
"I am happy paying an extra 55 cents a day for better and more convenient service," he said. "We have a good team here and we should keep it going."
Sanitary District 2 employees said they would fear for their job security if consolidation were to take place. "I'm concerned that my job will not be there," said an employee who declined to be identified. "I don't understand how Weitzman and Suozzi complain about my salary when their salary increase for 2007 was more than my entire salary for a year."
Comments about this story? MRusso@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
