The mayor’s office announced today that in effort “to run leaner and work smarter” the city has just combined the Dept of Parks & Recreation and the Dept of Public Works into a new combined “Department of Public Parks, Recreation and Works”.
While this seems to have come out of the blue for many city employees and City Hall watchers, the plan has been apparently unfolding since the first of the year. Department heads David Turocy (DPW) and Robert DeRubeis (Parks & Rec) say that they have been working quietly for months on the details of the combined new department.
Robert Rooney, Newton’s Chief Operating Officer, says “the first order of business is to manage the transition to this new combined department smoothly. Once it’s up and running we’ll begin to explore opportunities for improving services and increasing efficiencies.”
Turocy from DPW says “We already work closely with Parks & Rec on all sorts of projects. We already deal with our whole range of DPW activities in the city parks, everything from water and storm drains, excavation, paving in city parks. Digging is digging whether it’s on a city street or a city park so I think the combined department makes a great deal of sense.”
DeRubeis says “From Parks & Rec’s point of view this can only be a good thing. We definitely expect to have improved communication on park related projects and it also opens up some fun new programming possibilities. Everyone knows that kids just love big construction equipment so we’re already thinking about holding a Construction Equipment Parade sometime this summer.”
It appears at least for the moment, the city has punted on one of the trickiest issues – who will lead the new department. At least initially, the combined department will be run by both David Turocy and Robert DeRupeis operating as Co-Commissioners. While this would seem to be a sensitive situation, both Turocy and DeRupeis seem to genuinely take it in stride and in good humor. Said Turocy, “I’ve worked closely with Bob for years, and besides I’ll really be in charge.” Laughed DeRubeis “Yes Dave is a great guy to work with and like he said – I’ll really be in charge”.
The mayor’s office says the new combined department began it’s operation this morning, April 1.
As far as I’ve heard, there’s no truth in the rumors that the city is also looking at creating a new combined Planning, Purchasing, and Police Department
Nice scoop Jerry. Interesting move.
Wow Jerry,one of your best suggestions to city hall made it through to implementation!
Boy,do you know how to keep a secret,no hint when I saw you at the Hyde on Sunday.
Are they teaching the parks people to use the divining rods? Maybe they can find a hot spring
This is old news, Greg. Give it a break. The idea is to consolidate the two field offices, and turn one — the DPW yard, I think — into a dog park. Or maybe a regular playground. I’m not sure. They were installing hand sanitizers there yesterday.
Maybe this is an April Fool’s day prank?
Jerry did not tell the whole story: The Mayor’s office will be consolidating with the Board of Alderman, School Committee, Village Area Councils (all villages are required to have a VAC)
and the PTO’s of all public schools. This will result in great efficiency as each of the 219 elected officials will serve as Mayor for 1.6 days a year, which will not qualify them for benefits.
A further consolidation will occur when we have completed the elections for NSC (Newton Streets Council), which will provide a representative council from every street in Newton.
At which point every resident of Newton will serve as Mayor for 17 minutes a year.
This will never work. A combined DPW – P&R would mean a single entity would be responsible for clearing snow around the schools. Madness!
These changes are really getting out of hand. Waban Area Council last week liked the Friends of Quinobequin’s idea of a hammock and small library so much, there is a current proposal to add an outhouse and apply for Affordable Housing status. Sounds fine until some needy person falls off the hammock, which they will. You know they will
Well done Jerry.
This is obviously Jerry’s April fools. Good one.
@Terry Malloy. Do you really want to let me run loose in the Mayor’s office for a full 1.6 days?
Bob Burke for Mayah!
Only if Bob promises to serve the whole 1.6 days a year.
@Ted and Janet. The plan would be for Janet to form an area council in Newton Corner and be elected as one of it’s first members. Then Ted, Janet and yours truly could form a coalition and rule Newton for a full week. That would really put the fear of God into a lot of folks here.
Bob, thanks. I literally laughed out loud! The three of us would scare the bejeezus out of the powers that be!
Put me on the list of those who would be bejeezus-less.
You’re going to need a campaign sign for that ticket.
count me in as Shemp
@Jerry. Be careful to humor us. You let the three of us in City Hall for a week and you have no idea what we might do. There are many in the Highlands who eagerly want to “reclaim” what is now the Greenway, Pettee Square and a few additional acres in “Eliot Village” that were shamelessly lifted from this village more than a century ago. It’s not in Hall’s History, but there was a late evening back then when a former mayor (who shall remain nameless) was tippling a few too many bourbons at Manufacturers Hall. He was half in the bag when he agreed to this transfer. Before this travesty, we were numbered among “those contented souls” that Hall’s History so aptly describes. Since then we have been dour and bitter. Putin isn’t the only one who knows how to grab land.