Consultant: Add jobs to Saugus DPW

SAUGUS – An outside consultant brought in to measure the efficiency of the Department of Public Works recommended the town hire for four new positions and merge the DPW with other departments.Rob Haley, a representative from the University of Massachusetts, Boston Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management, presented the findings to selectmen of a 100-page study of Saugus DPW comparing it to the “best practices in the business.”The study was compiled from financial data, a profile of the department?s operations and interviews with both public works employees and town officials.?This isn?t a report against the DPW or any employee,” said Town Manager Scott Crabtree. “This is the analysis of structure and organization so we can move forward again.”The Collins Center?s recommendations, presented by Haley, included merging into the DPW the Recycling Department, with only one recycling coordinator employed, and the Cemetery Department to share the total mowing responsibilities in town. But he also advised the town to investigate the cost of outsourcing mowing and compare it to hiring a part-time employee for landscaping.The department is currently comprised of 17 positions, with one position of “general foreman” unfulfilled, down from 23 positions from last fiscal year. Haley recommended that position be changed to “assistant town engineer,” and adding the duties of town engineer to the position of DPW director. He recommended the town “immediately” hire two positions for the Highway Division. The average number of linear mileage for a highway worker?s responsibility in eight other towns in the state was 10 or 12, said Haley. In Saugus, two workers were responsible for 120 linear miles, which led to expensive outsourcing.The two other hires recommended hires were “equipment operators” to perform “critically-needed preventative maintenance” on the town?s water main. “Saugus has one of the highest number of water main breaks I have even seen,” said Haley. In the report, the Collins Center wrote that last year Saugus had 47 main breaks in its 125-mile distribution system, equating to one break per 2.7 miles.Haley reported that the DPW has a weakness documenting its input and output of activity, and recommended the town invest in software to measure its performance levels, with regular progress reports to Crabtree, as well as a written policies and procedures manual. Haley said the DPW also lacks proactive planning. “Right now [they?re] reacting to what?s coming in as opposed to managing what needs to be done,” he said.He also recommended a software program to assess pavement conditions, which would keep tabs on paving projects two to four years ahead.Finally, Haley suggested the town allocate funding for replacing equipment, which he said was probably “not surprising” for the board to hear. Haley said the equipment was “not the oldest I?ve seen, but close to it.”