Halifax auditor general Larry Munroe reports excessive overtime costs

Halifax's auditor general is once again calling on city managers to rein in overtime costs.

This is the third time LarryMunroehas made the request since hebegan looking into the municipality'sbooks, but only a handful of his recommendations have so far been fullyinstituted.

"I am disappointed. We had hoped we would make more progress on this,"Munroesaid.

Between 2011 and 2015,overtime costs exceededbudgeted amounts by 33 per cent, with a total overrun of$14.9 million, according to the report he released Wednesday.

The trend seems to be continuing because while the city is half-way through the currentbudget year, it's already spent 70 per cent of the overtime budget.Police, fire, transit and public works account for 94 per cent of all overtime costs.

CAO defends management

Munroetook a close look at the fire department. Although firefighters are paid in straight time for all overtime, there are glaring examples of excessive hours.

One Halifax Fire employee worked 1,400 hours of overtime, which amounts to 65 per cent of another position. Another worked the equivalent of fourweeksin a two-week period eight different times in one year.

Halifax'soutgoing chief administrative officer, Richard Butts, defends city management's fiscal choices.

"Even though the overtime budget is overspent, the straight-time budget isunderspent," Butts explained. "So we always come in budget for compensation."

Councillors unhappy

Councillors who listened to Munroe's presentation at the audit and finance committee were not impressed by the overtime numbers.

"To put it bluntly, I am embarrassed," said Coun. Gloria McCluskey, who represents Dartmouth Centre.

"It's up to us to man the ship and make sure it stays on the right course. I think we've let the taxpayers down."

District 12 Coun. Reg Rankin had similar feelings.

"It appears that staff brought in, and we approved it,over several years,an overtime budget that wasn't real," he said.

The auditor general has re-issued a number of recommendations he made five years ago. But he's made three new recommendations, including one forcing managers to explain any overtime cost increases that exceed 10 per cent of the budgeted amount to regional council.

"It's my view that we can get our arms around this," saidMunroe.

Munroeacknowledged that close to $15 millionis not a large part of a billion-dollar budget, but he says taxpayers won't see it that way.

Munroepointed out $15 million a year adds up and could help pay for projects such as the four-rink complex in Dartmouth.

TheCBC's Pam Berman live tweetedfrom the meeting.