VHA might trim hours to save money

Published 11:42 am Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Facing a tight budget and not much room to cut, the Vicksburg Housing Authority Board of Commissioners is considering reducing the office hours at its nine sites and putting maintenance workers on call after hours.

“It’s one way we’re trying to reduce costs,” commission chairman Christopher Barnett Sr. said. “We’re doing what we can.”

The commissioners discussed the proposal, but took no action.

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“We’re limited in the things we can cut,” VHA executive director Ben Washington said. “We have to provide utilities and we have to advertise (for contracts), and there are things like tenant services, such as career programs, that we have to provide by law.”

VHA’s $1.6 million fiscal 2012 budget is about $400,000 less than 2011, and its $600,000 in federal operating subsidies for 2012 are about $200,000 less than it was just two years ago.

The commissioners in January canceled VHA’s contract with the Vicksburg Police Department for security at its sites, saving about $145,000 a year.

Washington said reducing office hours and putting maintenance workers on call will save more money without reducing the work force. The housing authority has six administrative employees, including Washington, and six maintenance employees.

Three of the administrative employees are site managers who are responsible for the VHA’s housing sites in the city.

Under the proposal, VHA’s site offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Friday.

Each member of the maintenance staff will be on call one night a week to reduce overtime.

“We average $15,000 to $20,000 a year in overtime,” he said, adding that a rotation system would not completely eliminate overtime, but would allow it to be better managed.

“Taking these steps are one way to cut our costs without affected our employees,” he said.

In other action, the commissioners:

• Approved the minutes for the March 20 meeting.

• Approved the bills for March and April.

• Approved the secretary/treasurer’s report.

• Awarded a contract to Multi-Con Inc. of Jackson to prepare vacant units for occupants. The bid was based on line items.

• Awarded a contract to Reed Exterminating Co. of Greenville for pest control for the VHA’s 430 units at $900 a month.