Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
Discussion on BOE staffing and headcount discrepancies
4:01:39
·
3 min
Council Member Restler questions the BOE about discrepancies between budgeted and actual staff headcount. BOE Executive Director Michael Ryan and Deputy Executive Director Vincent Ignizio explain the historical mismatch and agree to work with OMB to rectify the numbers.
- The budgeted headcount (517) differs significantly from the actual headcount (931)
- BOE attributes this to differences in how they handle temporary employees compared to other city agencies
- Both parties agree to address this issue with OMB after the budget process
Lincoln Restler
4:01:39
So just to that, you know, the preliminary plan lists 517 full time positions budgeted for f y twenty five and twenty six, but the actual headcount as of January was $7.12.
4:01:52
This is our information is based on data the council receives from O and B regarding full time staff only.
4:01:59
Is seven twelve the current headcount?
4:02:03
Do you have additional part time staff?
4:02:06
But more importantly, why not adjust the budgeted headcount with OMB to more closely align with your needs?
Michael Ryan
4:02:16
So the short answer to that question is I don't know.
4:02:20
I have been the executive director for almost twelve years and the head count between the budgeted head count and our actual head count has never matched.
4:02:28
That's the the best answer I could possibly give.
Lincoln Restler
4:02:31
Why not just tell OMB what it should be and what your actual headcount is, and they'll reflect it in the budget documents?
Michael Ryan
4:02:37
Well, we worked closely with them, to adjust the number of temporary employees that we have or employees in temporary titles, downward, which we did.
4:02:50
We still have over 200, employees in temporary titles.
4:02:56
Actual headcount as of today, which is always a fluid number, is 931.
Lincoln Restler
4:03:02
That includes full and part time?
Michael Ryan
4:03:04
That well, we don't have any part time employees.
4:03:07
So we have all full time employees, but some of the employees are in temporary titles.
4:03:11
It used to be about fifty fifty.
4:03:14
If you, remember back to when we had, September, we worked a little bit differently then.
4:03:22
We would bring in temporary employees over the summer and they would essentially work from say July ish to, you know, after the certification of the election in November.
4:03:35
That has not been the case, for quite a number of years now with the number of special elections that we, have, to conduct every year plus, a change in the way business is done, having the primary election be in June, and the, and the general election in November.
4:03:57
So we're happy to work with the, with OMB to adjust that number.
4:04:02
It has never been adjusted.
4:04:04
Our numbers are always available through OPA, Pfizer.
4:04:09
They've been pretty steady in the September to '9, you know, September, you know, for the last number of years.
4:04:17
I I don't know why that hasn't been adjusted, but we're certainly happy to assist.
4:04:22
Mister chairman, one one thing we should probably do is post budget sit down with
Vincent Ignizio
4:04:25
the OMB and and try to try to rectify the number.
4:04:29
I think some of it could be due to in the as you are aware, in the agency, city agency mode the OMB approves each increase of headcount or FTEs.
4:04:43
We don't have that same system because of being a non city agency.
4:04:47
Potentially that's where the divergent
Lincoln Restler
4:04:51
process Totally.
4:04:51
It's just been this way for a decade plus.
4:04:53
It doesn't make any sense.
4:04:54
Think it's a post budget conversation.
4:04:56
It's just dumb.
4:04:58
But we should fix it and appreciate your willingness to sit down with Omby and rectify it.
4:05:02
If we can be of assistance, please let us know.
Vincent Ignizio
4:05:04
Thank
Lincoln Restler
4:05:04
you.