Here's yet another way services in Kansas City stay losing . . .
TKC INSIDER PERSPECTIVE:
"The fire department is not even organized enough to do fire inspections and the city council believes they are responsible enough to manage emergency services."
Check the presser . . .
City Auditor's Office makes recommendations to improve fire code inspection program
The City of Kansas City, Mo., City Auditor's Office released an audit today on the fire code inspection program. The audit focuses on how the program is managed, the completeness of the fire safety inspection database and what improvements would be helpful.
The audit concluded that some fire safety inspections were not done timely and some annual inspections were missed. The Fire Department's Prevention Division does not have written policies and procedures related to the inspection process to ensure that inspections are conducted consistently and that management's expectations are clear. The audit also noted that one employee is responsible for collecting fees, issuing permits, recording inspections and payment data, and making deposits, thereby increasing the risk that errors or fraud could go undetected. In addition, the audit determined the database of structures that should be inspected was reasonably complete.
The audit included recommendations for:
- reducing the rate of late and missed inspections
- ensuring consistency in the inspection process
- strengthening controls over administrative processes
- enhancing the completeness of the inspection database
Management agreed with the recommendations.
The purpose of performance audits is to identify ways to make the activities of the City more efficient and effective. Recent performance audits by the City Auditor's Office have evaluated citywide overtime trends and management practices, the effectiveness of the City's Traffic Management Center, the City's payment process for outside vendors, and ambulance crew shifts and response times.
#################
Where are they stealing the $6M from? Fire, police, capital, water or ATA sales taxes?
ReplyDeleteThe budget also recommends restructuring selected debt issues to reduce debt service and thereby
accommodate short-term relief to programs. General Fund support for KC Live debt service will
be reduced by $6 million in FY 2014-15 relative to the current year budget. The restructuring
savings to the General Fund will gradually decline for five years until debt service increases in FY
2019-20
Tax and spend Sly
ReplyDeleteGeneral Obligation Bond Authority
Finally, as I stated in last year’s transmittal letter, the City no longer has voted general obligation
(G.O.) bond capacity to address its long-term capital improvement and maintenance needs. The
adopted Five-Year Financial Strategic Plan recommends $150 million in additional capacity
supported by an increase in the debt levy portion of the City’s property tax levy. The tax impact to
a median homeowner in Kansas City is anticipated to increase $20 every other year in the strategic
plan. I believe that the City Council should seek voter authorization of a capital improvements
bond program to ensure that the City has the resources necessary to maintain our infrastructure.
While they're at it, why not have some type of organized program to check and see it the fire hydrants work?
ReplyDeleteAlready have had a number of houses that burned to the ground when the fire trucks couldn't get any water out of the hydrant.
The city needs fewer assistant city managers, IT web developers, 311 call takers, etc and more front line service providers. But this CM and council are not listening.
ReplyDeleteAnd this story is shocking? Those fuck nuts can't even get to a call under 15 minutes.
ReplyDeleteCompletely unrelated. Your comment is like yelling at the dude bagging your groceries for not having enough milk in stock. No connection between busy ambulances and fire inspections
DeleteAnother perspective would be that by improving the inspection system, something management agrees with according to this, inspections are done in a more timely fashion, preventing more fires and safeguarding the public.
ReplyDeleteSo good for the auditor.
6:12, I wouldn't be surprised to see that $6 million come from increased fees for paperwork and fire inspections in the name of "compliance" and "service enhancements."
ReplyDelete8:45 I think what he meant is the whole fucking department is a cluster fuck now what do you say to that asshole?
ReplyDeleteThe hole dept. needs a major damn overhaul.
The key to KC Fire inspections is to hire one of the "approved" companies to help you with the fire inspections. If you do not do this, you are not going to get certified.
ReplyDeleteYou just pay the money and the approval will come. What could be easier?
Looking further that it if can be succeeded or not.
ReplyDeleteWhy perform fire inspections? Let the shit hole burn.
ReplyDeleteNo mention was made of going from 18 inspectors down to 13 inspectors. Down 5 inspectors can't imagine why they're behind.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't the lazy water dept. check the hydrants.? They are the ones that fix them and put them in. There are numerous supervisors driving around in their city trucks to check hydrants. I've seen fire trucks blocking the streets in their big ass trucks wasting fuel checking them numerous times. I know they work on my street because the fire guys turn them on every year.
ReplyDeleteDown from 18 to 13 inspectors? Hmmm, funny how they pick and choose who they want to put in those positions. If a suck-up is injured and can no longer perform as a fire fighter, he/she can be put in that position with no loss of pay. But if you are not a suck-up or a favorite, you are screwed.
ReplyDeleteWell first of all the FD checks the hydrants every single year. Not the water department. I know for a fact the fire station near my building has written up the broken up fire hydrant in front of my building every single year for the past 5 years and sent the information to the water department over and over again. The water department has yet the fix the hydrant. The firefighters are pissed, the building residents are pissed because nothing has been done. From speaking to them it's the same case over and over again all over the city. Why bother the check the damn things if the water department won't fix what is reported over and over again year after year. Keep this in mine next time you see a water department worker taking a nap in their truck. Think about this next time you read a story from Tony about how the fire department needs more diversity. Why? So they can't be more like the water department and take naps instead of fixing the broken hydrants the FD keeps writing up?
ReplyDelete