Post by brassmonkey on Oct 7, 2008 22:16:48 GMT -5
As much as I despise Gov. Deval Patrick, I must applaud him for doing the right thing in ending police details-in construction zones where the speed limit is 45 or under, at least... He should eliminate police details altogether. The fact that we're the only state that has this stupid regulation speaks volumes.. That's tax money being wasted. Flagmen are still paid by tax dollars working for MassHighway, but not at nearly the rate that the cops are. Let the private company pay for their details.
Patrick administration rolls out civilian flagmen regulations
By Jeremy P. Jacobs
Category: GovernorTags: flagmen, Deval Patrick, Bernard Cohen
BOSTON -- Seeking to tackle an issue that he previously backed away from, Gov. Deval Patrick's administration rolled out regulations Wednesday that would replace police details with civilian flagmen at some construction sites throughout the state in an effort to save money.
Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Milton)Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Milton)How much money the state stands to make from the regulations, however, remains unclear.
The regulations, which are intended to be implemented in November, seek to place civilian flagmen at state-controlled construction sites at roadways that have a speed limit that is less than 45 miles per hour. At construction sites where the speed limit is 45 miles per hour or greater or if the state does not control the detail contracts, police details would still be used.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen said the regulations "strike a careful balance between preserving public safety and highlighting the administration's commitment to savings and reforms that will allow for long term investments in our transportation infrastructure."
Patrick (D-Milton) vowed to remove police details from construction sites to save the state money last spring. He quickly backed away from the proposal, however, as pressure from police unions to keep the details at construction sites increased. One of the arguments those unions have used is that police details make the construction site more secure than civilian flagmen could.
Cohen said the regulations are a result of consultation with all parties involved, including police unions, in a "long and transparent" process. "I will not say that we have unanimity or complete agreement on the regulations," he said, "but what I can say is that we were open and transparent."
The secretary said the regulations will be released today, and he expects a public hearing to take place during the middle of September. By early October, he said, the regulations will be finalized and civilian flagmen are anticipated to be at certain construction sites in November.
Cohen did not, however, provide many specifics about how much the program would save, saying only that he believes it will be "substantial sums of money." The state will only use civilian flagmen for construction site on roadways it controls, so municipalities will be free to hire police details at construction sites they administer.
"These regulations will not trump local ordinances or collective bargaining agreements where the municipality is awarding the contract," Cohen said. "However, where the state is awarding the contract, as a general rule, these regulations will apply."
If municipalities have preexisting collective bargaining agreements with local police departments specifying the use of police details, those agreements would continue to be honored.
Currently, Cohen said, the state spends about $25 million annually on police details for state construction sites and two thirds of state highways have a speed limit of 45 miles per hour or more, meaning police details would continue to be used. At any given time, the state controls between 200 and 300 construction sites, approximately half of which, Cohen said, are on local roads.
Patrick administration rolls out civilian flagmen regulations
By Jeremy P. Jacobs
Category: GovernorTags: flagmen, Deval Patrick, Bernard Cohen
BOSTON -- Seeking to tackle an issue that he previously backed away from, Gov. Deval Patrick's administration rolled out regulations Wednesday that would replace police details with civilian flagmen at some construction sites throughout the state in an effort to save money.
Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Milton)Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Milton)How much money the state stands to make from the regulations, however, remains unclear.
The regulations, which are intended to be implemented in November, seek to place civilian flagmen at state-controlled construction sites at roadways that have a speed limit that is less than 45 miles per hour. At construction sites where the speed limit is 45 miles per hour or greater or if the state does not control the detail contracts, police details would still be used.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen said the regulations "strike a careful balance between preserving public safety and highlighting the administration's commitment to savings and reforms that will allow for long term investments in our transportation infrastructure."
Patrick (D-Milton) vowed to remove police details from construction sites to save the state money last spring. He quickly backed away from the proposal, however, as pressure from police unions to keep the details at construction sites increased. One of the arguments those unions have used is that police details make the construction site more secure than civilian flagmen could.
Cohen said the regulations are a result of consultation with all parties involved, including police unions, in a "long and transparent" process. "I will not say that we have unanimity or complete agreement on the regulations," he said, "but what I can say is that we were open and transparent."
The secretary said the regulations will be released today, and he expects a public hearing to take place during the middle of September. By early October, he said, the regulations will be finalized and civilian flagmen are anticipated to be at certain construction sites in November.
Cohen did not, however, provide many specifics about how much the program would save, saying only that he believes it will be "substantial sums of money." The state will only use civilian flagmen for construction site on roadways it controls, so municipalities will be free to hire police details at construction sites they administer.
"These regulations will not trump local ordinances or collective bargaining agreements where the municipality is awarding the contract," Cohen said. "However, where the state is awarding the contract, as a general rule, these regulations will apply."
If municipalities have preexisting collective bargaining agreements with local police departments specifying the use of police details, those agreements would continue to be honored.
Currently, Cohen said, the state spends about $25 million annually on police details for state construction sites and two thirds of state highways have a speed limit of 45 miles per hour or more, meaning police details would continue to be used. At any given time, the state controls between 200 and 300 construction sites, approximately half of which, Cohen said, are on local roads.