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AGENCY TESTIMONY
Challenges with DDC project management and request for increased lump sum capital funding
0:38:31
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77 sec
Dennis Walcott addresses challenges with DDC project management and makes a case for increased lump sum capital funding for Queens Public Library.
- QPL currently has 35 active DDC projects, with potential for unexpected shortfalls
- Unexpected shortfalls can lead to project stoppages, increasing costs
- QPL sustained a $32.2 million capital reduction last fiscal year that was never restored
- Walcott requests an increase in lump sum capital funding to $10 million
- This funding is critical for seamlessly filling shortfalls for any project in the system as soon as notified by DDC
Dennis Walcott
0:38:31
QPL currently has 35 active DDC projects, and at any moment we could be informed of a shortfall.
0:38:39
That's not the right way to do business at all.
0:38:41
We need to have the money available so we don't have to be both informed that we have a shortfall by DDC, but then have that project stop.
0:38:50
And then once the project stops, then that increases the cost even more so.
0:38:54
That's no way to run a business.
0:38:56
That's why we're asking for further capital investment in our programs as well.
0:39:00
In addition to sustaining expense cuts last fiscal year, QPL also sustained, and like all of us, a 32,200,000.0 capital reduction as we've told our individual council members that was never restored.
0:39:15
Let's not forget about those budget cuts that happened on the capital side that were never restored as part of the restoration process.
0:39:23
At some point, that's going to hurt us in the long run, and maybe that point is right now.
0:39:28
The council has been very generous with its lump sum capital funding in the past, and we respectfully request an increase in the lump sum QPL traditionally receives to $10,000,000.
0:39:40
The pot of funding is critical in allowing us to seamlessly fill shortfalls for any project in our system as soon as we're notified by DDC.