DOT hires more engineers; PEF proposes permanent funding solution

By DEBORAH A. MILES
Changes are happening at the state Department of Transportation (DOT) because of the 2005 Bond Act, and because New York Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer is waiting in the wings.

The Transportation Bond Act is providing $2.9 billion that is enabling DOT to hire 800 people, a move that is long overdue, according to Lou Ferrone Jr., PEF labor-management chair at DOT.

“This is a good thing. DOT lost close to 1,100 employees to the early retirement incentive and other personnel actions over the last 10 years,” Ferrone said. “We have needed to fill that void for a long time.”

The funding from the bond act will be used for design and construction of new roads and improvements.

PEF proposes more
PEF will recommend to the governor-elect that he hire an additional 800 DOT engineers with a permanent funding source.

“Hiring 800 additional DOT state- employee engineers during the next five years to replace more costly consultant engineers would generate approximately $213 million in revenue for the five year capital plan,” said Tom Cetrino, PEF director of civil service enforcement.

“Part of the funding would come from reducing the use of consultant engineers in DOT’s bridge inspection department,” Ferrone said. “This would benefit taxpayers by being more cost-effective and safer.

“PEF leaders believe state workers are better qualified to inspect bridges than outside consultants,” Ferrone said. “New York residents and the traveling public deserve the best people to inspect bridges. Those people would be DOT employees and not private consultants.”

Cetrino said, in addition to reducing the use of more costly consultant engineers, other funding sources could include new or increased user fees and redirecting the funding for unnecessary management positions.

The proposal and supporting information will be submitted to the new state administration early next year.

The Communicator Dec.06/Jan.07

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Clarification: A photo caption in the November issue of The Communicator should have said PEF Vice President Pat Baker and Regional Coordinators Dee Dodson, Vernetta Chesimard and Jemma Marie-Hanson coordinated the PEF Sept. 11 memorial service in New York City.