Facing rising costs such as workmen’s compensation and health
insurance, Bradford City Council may have to consider raising taxes
in preparation of next year’s budget.

At budget hearings in October, city department heads were told
to bring as much savings to the table as possible. Councilman Tom
Riel contacted The Era Friday with even more ideas for the city to
save money.

“The City of Bradford wants to raise taxes more than a mil,” he
said, “and I think there are a few ideas people should think about
before the city goes and raises your taxes.”

Riel’s list of ideas includes annual physical agility testing
for all first responders, saying improved physical fitness can cut
down on lost work time. He estimates a savings of $75,000 annually
with improved fitness.

“Many of our recent injuries, sick time and overtime are primary
reasons why our workmen’s comp and health insurance are going up
drastically,” he said, citing a figure of about $125,000 for the
two.

Referring to the firefighters, Riel said, “We’ve seen a lot of
them on the front page of The Bradford Era” in photos of them
filling Easter eggs for the annual hunt at Callahan Park.

“They look like they could use some physical training,” Riel
opined. “They have a weight room in the firehall, why not use it?”
Fitness and agility testing would benefit the city in many ways, he
said.

“This would help keep our insurance rates down, prevent some
injuries, promote safety and look better for our community.”

Another cost-saving measure could be to reconsider the way the
fire department handles staffing while the ambulance is out of the
station on a call. Riel said the current budget calls for $70,000 a
year in call-out time.

“There is a 24/7 ambulance service a couple of blocks from the
firehall,” he said, referring to Priority Care Ambulance Service.
“Let them be on-call, if they’re available, when needed at no cost
to the city. If they’re not available, call some guys in.”

He estimates this could save the city as much as $50,000 a
year.

“I called the owner (Friday) to run the idea by him,” Riel said,
referring to Brian Gustafson of Priority Care. “He said he’d be
happy to, and it would save the city a lot of money.”

Riel also said the city currently has a problem with employees
doing personal business on taxpayers’ time, and savings could be
realized if this was eliminated.

“No personal business on duty,” Riel said. “No more police cars
at officers’ homes, while on duty, for extended periods of time,
with the engines running sometimes.

“This time could be used to have a much-needed presence
downtown,” he suggested, adding the officers could police the
square or even write parking tickets. “Not to mention, we’re not
paying them to be home during an eight-hour shift.

“I’ve seen it repeatedly and have had numerous complaints about
it too,” Riel said.

He also said no city employees should be permitted to do
personal business in city vehicles or while on duty – such as
eating breakfast on the clock, driving a city vehicle home for
lunch, or driving it home at the end of their shifts.

“Anybody can see it (happen),” Riel said of the allegations of
personal business. “I’ve seen it.”

He also suggested reassigning the city’s parking enforcement
officer and having the city police perform that function. The cost
for the parking officer is approximately $32,838 annually, which
could be saved by having the police do a “sweep in the a.m. and one
in the p.m. This would give them a much-needed presence and some of
them, much-needed exercise,” Riel added.

And, he said, thousands more could be saved simply by shutting
off the ignitions of city vehicles when the vehicles aren’t in
immediate use.

“I’ve seen it and I’ve had complaints about it, too,” Riel said.
“The people that are paying for that gasoline (taxpayers) can’t
afford to leave their cars running when they go in the grocery
store in the winter.”

Department of Public Works trucks and garbage trucks are left
running, as are empty police cars and even fire trucks parked in
front of the Old Post Office, Riel said.

The next area where Riel believes cuts can be made is with the
city’s parking lots.

“The city loses money on most of them,” he said. The East Main
Street lot is budgeted to take in $660 in revenue. The cost to
patrol it is about $480, and the estimated cost for mowing,
trimming, cleaning, plowing and salting the lot is about $3,000,
Riel said.

The East Washington Street lot is budgeted to take in $450, but
brought in $540 in revenue. However, the cost estimate to maintain
it is $2,000. He did not have an estimate available for the lot on
East Corydon Street, but said it had not brought in any revenue as
of October.

“I have been in contact with a lot of people who are interested
in these parking lots,” Riel said. “Get rid of them … with the
restriction that they must remain parking lots or revert back to
the city.”

And, he added, the vacant lot at the corner of West Washington
and Mechanic streets is costing the city money in maintenance.
“Sell it, auction it or give it away and get it back on the tax
rolls,” Riel said.

“When there’s this much fat to be cut out of city government, I
sure as hell won’t vote for a tax increase,” he said. Referring to
the cost-saving ideas, he said, “Most of them are things people see
and need to be addressed.

“I’ve thrown a lot of these ideas around to other council
members, but they’ve fallen on deaf ears,” he said. “If you want to
cut the fat, you’ve got to rock the boat.”