City workers honored
for cost-saving ideas

Three Northeast residents swept the top awards in the City Controller’s Innovative Employee Incentive Plan, established to help make city government operate more efficiently.
The overall winner was John Gerry, who lives on Hartel Avenue in Mayfair. A maintenance supervisor at the Water Department’s southeast pollution control plant, he won $200.
Gerry won for creating a metering and mixing system that cost the department only $3,000, instead of the $20,000 cost requested by an outside vendor.
"John’s know-how and grit solved a problem with substantial savings to the taxpayers," said City Controller Alan Butkovitz.
The runners-up were Jerry Polin, of Placid Street in Bell’s Corner, and Jared Jacobson, of Passmore Street in Lawndale.
Polin is a research and informational analyst in the Office of Behavioral Health/Mental Retardation. Jacobson is a paramedic with the fire department. Each won $150.
Polin was honored for his recommendation to shift from paper to electronic documents. He suggested that too much supervisory/management time is being wasted approving paper documents such as letters, training request forms and requests for supplies.
Jacobson was recognized for his suggestion that the city place spare mobile data terminals in each fire station. Too often, he said, the MDTs break down, and paramedics must drive to one of two fire stations in the city for repair or replacement. During this time, the paramedic unit is out of service.
The winners were honored at a ceremony at the controller’s office in the Municipal Services Building.
"I congratulate and honor these employees today for not only their great ideas, but for their commitment to public service," Butkovitz said. "I am inspired and admire all three individuals. They truly epitomize the dedication and ingenuity of our city employees." ••