Video: Cities Cutting Down On Overtime Costs

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NORTHEAST, Miss. (WCBI)–Working overtime is common at most jobs. However, when city workers have that extra time on their paycheck, taxpayers foot the bill. This means less money for improvements.

Reducing it is a priority for local governments trying to stretch tax dollars.

For instance, Tupelo has cut those expenses 41% in the last 3 years. Columbus and West Point are doing everything they can to match Tupelo’s efforts. They know it’s about being accountable.

“Basically during the budget process, we look at that very closely and get with the department heads and let them know ahead of time what their budget is for overtime and to basically be proactive in ensuring that the overtime that they’re budgeted they stay within that number,” said Milton Rawle, Chief Financial Officer for the City of Columbus.

Over the last 2 years, Columbus saved over $83,000 in overtime costs, which means money for other priorities. Around 90% of those costs come from the city’s fire and police department.

“Within our overtime budget in the Columbus Police Department, we’re down to a little over $200,000 for the entire fiscal year,” said Columbus Police Chief Selvain McQueen.

Chief McQueen spends most of his department’s overtime on festivals, investigations and training new officers.

“Festivals, we just have to work those. We budget for those items as best we can. For the criminal investigations division, if you have a murder, somebody has got to come out and work it. But again, we budget those items and we keep the over time down through effective management,” said Chief McQueen.

Effective management also makes a difference in West Point.

“In the police department they’ve made sure each shift has had a full administration as well as investigations and patrol. Over the public works side, they’ve used the comp time program and part-time help. The same with recreation department,” said Randy Jones, Chief Administrative Office for the City of West Point.

Leaders say the crackdown is essential, ensuring taxpayers dollars are well spent.

“We budget overtime every year so it really doesn’t hinder, it’s just that they have to manage it very prudently. So taxpayer-wise, it’s in the budget anyway,” said Rawle.

Columbus city officials say they reduced 2014’s overtime budget even more. They plan on looking at it closely on a monthly basis, making sure the city stays within budget.