Like many municipalities throughout the State of New York, the Town and Village of Lake George, together with the Lake George Central School District, are seeking solutions that will allow them to maintain an affordable tax rate while continuing to deliver the level of services that contribute to the quality of life of their constituents. In addition, the Town, Village, and School District have seen steady increases in the demand on services and are currently meeting those additional demands using aging infrastructure and facilities. Laberge Group was retained to address these challenges by developing a study to assess the feasibility of consolidating DPW facilities and creating a joint motorpool facility. This thorough investigation will include:
- Collecting and analyzing data on the services provided by the Town, Village and School District;
- Creating a matrix of existing facilities, equipment, fleet, and personnel;
- Developing a needs-assessment based on current assets and a five year growth projection; and
- Reviewing potential sites for a joint facility, and if practical, develop a conceptual plan for implementation.
Laberge Group will spearhead a public information and participation process to ensure that citizens, businesses, community leaders, and stakeholders are well informed and have ample opportunity to voice their opinions and provide feedback. Laberge Group is also committed to developing a meaningful dialog with municipal staff and department heads and will solicit their input from the outset of the process by conducting one-on-one interviews and facilitating round-table discussions. This collaborative process will allow the team to identify shared values, discuss key issues and concerns, glean valuable insights about existing service delivery, and identify opportunities for improvement.
Laberge Group will utilize a wealth of experience and expertise in government efficiency to analyze the results of these investigations and make concrete recommendations regarding the opportunities for potential consolidation and/or shared facilities. These recommendations will include:
- Identifying potential opportunities for cost reduction and/or improved service delivery.
- Establishing the impact of a potential facilities consolidation on the services provided to residents, businesses, and other stakeholders.
- Evaluating potential efficiencies of consolidating vehicle storage, maintenance, and fueling facilities for the Town Highway Department, Village DPW, and Lake George Central School District into a joint motorpool facility.
The culmination of this study will be a specific and actionable implementation plan that will include a matrix identifying each recommended initiative and the resulting fiscal or service delivery benefits. The matrix will also stipulate the municipality and/or department responsible, the suggested timeline, estimated costs, and potential funding sources.