Every building or structure owned by the city of Emporia has some sort of water and energy operating cost.
It’s Luke Thompson’s job to find ways to lower those costs to save the taxpayers money.
“There’s a lot of potential here to save money,” he said.
Thompson, 27, started last month as the city’s new energy manager. The job is for two years.
The city received a $170,000 grant from the Kansas Corporation Commission to hire and pay the salary of an energy manager until the end of October 2012. Mark McAnarney, assistant city manager, said the money from the grant was part of the federal stimulus package.
To read complete story see the print edition or the online print edition.
dhcc66 (anonymous) says...
85,000 a year......dont remember seeing any local job posting for that one
December 10, 2010 at 4:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Yea....who is this 27 year old making 80-thousand dollars a year. Is he from here? What are his qualifications? How did he get this good job? And like dhcc66 questioned....was this job advertised, or was he brought in through the back door?
December 11, 2010 at 5:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
There would probably be a lot of people smiling if they were being paid $80,000 per year !
Doesn' t the City already have people on the payroll that are intelligent enough to find or know where energy is being wasted in the buildings the city owns ?
I smell more " FUTURE SPENDING AND TAXING " in the air, doesn' t smell good !
And wasn' t there talk recently by the City Manager about eliminating jobs to save $42,000 per year ! And then turn around and hire 1 person at $80,000 per year ! And the need/want to spend $41, 000 on entrance rocks ?
How is this saving money ?
Oh, I know his salary is being paid by the KCC ! But isn' t the KCC a taxpayer funded organization and doesn' t that mean that we as taxpayers are paying this guys salary anyway ?
Ah, yes the workings of beaurocy at " WORK " !!!!!
No wonder governments are " BROKE " or "GOING BROKE" and soon everyone else will be " BROKE " also ! LOL
December 11, 2010 at 8:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Well, one thing is for sure, Mr. Thompson will not have to worry about finding any energy savings at the Lowther buildings !
But what if he finds all sorts of problems with the other school buildings !
OOPS, I forgot the school buildings are not owned by the City of Emporia or are they ?
Even if they are not owned by the City and owned by the State ??? My oh my, what a costly mess for taxpayers this could turn of events may turn out to be !!!
December 11, 2010 at 8:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
The word in my post of December 11, 2010 at 8:40 a.m. is " bureaucracy ", sorry for the misspell !
December 11, 2010 at 8:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
spectator (anonymous) says...
This is akin to the $60K+ salary survey where the "city" knew the staff was underpaid but professionals had to be paid to confirm it.
Too bad the gazette couldn't bother with the complete story on this latest professional opinion here.
The city actually is operating at bare bones limits, well, maybe not the cm, but the real people actually doing the work are.
Do you remember that grant to pay, train and equip 3 police officers the city received a while back? Guess what runs out PDQ? Do we suck it up and keep them or throw them out?
December 11, 2010 at 8:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Come on you Negative Nelly's !
This is stimulus money, it's free !
Not only does it keep 1 more person off the unemployment rolls, he may just find a million or two in energy savings for the city. Mr. Thompson is smiling in the picture because it's the holiday season.
MERRY CHRISTMAS !
AND
happy any days to you 'enry !
December 11, 2010 at 10:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
doubt_it (anonymous) says...
HMMMM.......maybe he could start with putting his salary towards fixing the water lines on 6th street by McDonalds that they keep having to repair every 2-3 weeks. Maybe if it got done right the first time, they wouldn't have to keep digging it back up because it's leaking. Wouldn't that save money? Cool.......I will be waiting on my $80k+ check....lol
December 11, 2010 at 11:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Change out existing T12 light fixtures with T8's.
Change out existing HVAC systems with high efficiency systems. Replace manual light switches with motion detector switches. Lower temperature settings on water heaters. Install new weather striping on doors and windows and add insulation where possible. Provide energy saving training to city staff and require everyone to shut down their office automation equipment at the close of the business day.
Don't forget, when it comes to water savings...If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down. :-)
December 11, 2010 at 11:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
There' s that word " FREE " again !
LOL
December 11, 2010 at 11:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
LOL Steve, good use of sarcasm there.
How quick they were to add that this was federal stimulus money. Hey, asst. city manager, do you think we are that dumb? Where the hell do you think the federal money comes from? Huh? Huh?
I'm with methusla here. Why don't we already have people on the current payroll who can solve this kind of problem?
Next big question. What kind of special equipment will have to be purchased so this 80 Grand Johnny Come Lately will be able to perform his special task?
I hope you asked that question in the big article, Shapiro.
December 11, 2010 at 11:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
b3bill (anonymous) says...
I can't fault Mr. Thompson for accepting the job offer for this job, where ever it may have been posted. He's got a guaranteed $85000 salary for 2 years, obviously something that most people of any age don't have.
Anyhow, I think it will be interesting when he finds various energy savings ideas and how the City Manager and other staff will respond to them. I'm betting there will be plenty of excuses why the suggested energy savings cannot be done because it will cramp the style of certain folks.
I think it is a foolish way for money to be spent in setting up this job, typical government. All those in positions of leadership here in the city should be **expected** to provide ongoing good cost savings ideas as long as they remain on the payroll, even with Mr. Thompson's job being established. Shouldn't need to hire someone specifically to search for cost savings.
It would be a good article for the Gazette to research the where, when, etc details of this job posting. There are a lot of people who would like to know.
December 11, 2010 at 12:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oops (anonymous) says...
It was posted for awhile. I know it was on the city's website for a long time. Just cause you didn't see it doesn't mean it wasn't. And I doubt he makes $85k. Some of that goes for insurance, retirement, etc.
December 11, 2010 at 8:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
b3bill (anonymous) says...
Well of course I know that just because I didn't see the job posting doesn't mean it didn't ever exist. Other people didn't see it either. That doesn't mean by asking we were saying it didn't exist.
The article says the $170K is to hire and pay the salary for 2 years. It does not say it is to cover the "total compensation" or something to that effect, which would be much more definitive and correct if the $170K is to cover salary plus insurance plus retirement etc.
Not every type of job with a specified duration always includes insurance, retirement, etc. Maybe the City might be covering the benefits.
December 11, 2010 at 11:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Steve, create, REWBA, methusla, and all other regulars who have wondered.
I saw oh4theluvof in the grocery store yesterday. Was so glad to bump into her. She said all was well at their house. She is apparently home schooling one of the kids. She said between that, other family obligations, and helping put bread on the table was leaving little left for the forum family at present.
She said she and her husband wanted to wish all of us a Very Merry Christmas and to let us know all was well.
December 12, 2010 at 6:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
biscuit. Glad to hear oh4 is doing ok and keeping busy, sucks for us though. Really miss ole seriously R. also.
I have a couple of weird question for you. Are you or the kids , (Biscuit and is it Jackie ?? ), allergic to any foods? Have you ever had a liverwurst sandwich?
hee hee, I told you they were weird, but there is a reason i ask.
December 12, 2010 at 7:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sail (anonymous) says...
HMMMM, cost savings is good,if he can justify his cost to the city we all win,BUT in that cost is the expense of implementing those savings too.
December 12, 2010 at 8:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
What exactly does the City Manager do? Wouldn't energy savings and reducing expenses be considered part of his job if he worked in the private sector?
December 12, 2010 at 8:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Steve
Maybe we will hear from both of them again soon....We can hope. Not allergic to any food I know of, but I rarely give the dogs any human food. My dad used to eat liverwurst (also pigs feet and Limburger cheese) As I recall I might have liked it ok if it had been called something different.
December 12, 2010 at 8:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
neighbor,
you would be correct in that assumption. But we are not talking private sector.
In government you always assign your job to someone beneath your pay grade. then they shuffle things to people below them who sends the work and or issue to a committee. The committee spends several months , (with other hired consultants advising them), and then they come up with an answer and solution to any problem.
Then the guy at the top does what he wants to do anyway, which usually involves more costs.
That is why government rarely, if ever breaks even or shows a profit and continually needs a influx of more funding.
December 12, 2010 at 8:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Sound familiar?
December 12, 2010 at 9:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
bb,
Kind of like Rocky Mountain Oysters !
Almost everyone likes them until you tell them how they are "Made"
;>)
December 12, 2010 at 9:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Just found this phrase in another article in the Gazette about giving "green" gifts.
"...our local Flint Hills Technical College offers affordable online courses including “Going Green at Home” ($99) and “Going Green at the Workplace” ($99). Working at their own pace, students will master the basics of creating green living and working environments."
What happened to "Buy Emporia First"?
December 12, 2010 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Steve....
If they had called it anything but LIVERwurst I would have probably liked it. But since I convinced myself at a very young age that liver was never meant to be eaten by humans....it didn't stand a chance.
December 12, 2010 at 12:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
neighbor
The City Manager can' t be bothered with saving the taxpayers money !!!
He is to busy managing the art of spending money and making it look like he is saving the taxpayers money , hence the reason he is payed a large chunk of money !
It would seem that it takes a high paid " Manager " to manage the spending of money, not wisely, but just spend, spend, spend, spend !
He" managed " to say he was trying to save $42,000, while proposing to spend $41,000 for a total net savings of $1,000 dollars ??
Hows that for " Management ", and saving the taxpayers a substantial amount of money ???
December 12, 2010 at 2:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
HenryVIII (anonymous) says...
Thanks, Steve! I nearly missed your well wishes, but I'm glad I didn't!
'enry
December 13, 2010 at 1:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
littlexav (anonymous) says...
guys, seriously - google it. the $85,000 is for the total year's budget for the manager and all of the equipment he needs and all of the projects that he performs. it's not all going to his salary.
facts matter.
http://www.kcc.state.ks.us/pi/press/1...
December 14, 2010 at 11:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Thanks for clarifying that Luke.
Welcome back.
December 14, 2010 at 4:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )