3M out, generics in, as Placer County shaves costs
Higher-priced brand-name office supplies like 3M Post-It Notes are out as Placer County moves ahead with a more frugal spending paradigm forced by dropping revenues. Instead, county departments are being asked to follow a new policy of buying cheaper house-brand or generic-brand paper, post-its, paperclips and other supplies. Supervisors heard Tuesday from members of a cost-saving task force organized earlier this year to consider more than 200 ideas suggested by county employees to save money. Jim Boggan, a member of the purchasing subcommittee, said an in-house study indicated $76,000 in annual savings could be generated by going generic. Supervisors also accepted a recommendation by the committee to require employees to buy recycled ink-jet and laser-jet cartridges instead of new ones. The shift could mean savings of $60,000 a year. Boggan said ink cartridges were tested and there was no discernible difference between recycled cartridges purchased from Staples and brand-new ones. Limiting staff travel by tapping into new advances in Web conferencing will also be utilized by the county in the future, Brian Jagger, an automation subcommittee member, reported that an estimated $67,000 in travel and meeting costs could be avoided by teleconferencing and Web meetings. Jagger said printing costs could also be held down by using electronic or scanned copies. “The easiest way (to cut printing costs) is to not do it as much,” he said. With printing controls in place, the county could save another $80,000 during the first year, Jagger said. Tom Miller, County CEO, said supervisors should expect more ideas to save money coming forward every couple of months. The round of cost shavings drew lukewarm praise from Auburn’s Dan Sokol, vice president of the League of Placer County Taxpayers. “In the main, they’re to be applauded,” Sokol said. “There are two edges though. One is to say ‘Go for it.’ The other is ‘Why did it take you so long.” Sokol added that reducing the paper flow may save money but could be a problem in retaining transparency in government if everything is copied electronically.
Keywords
frugal county, placer county, 3m, post-it, jim boggan, ink jet, paperclips, brian jagger, tom miller, dan sokol, placer county taxpayers
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They may save enough money to ensure that King Tom and his court get their raises next year. I'm impressed, NOT.
Maybe "Rocky" (10K Rocky) will settle for a bi-plane ride this year.
You hit it right on the head loomisresident. This is just toms propoganda machine at work. Can't wait for election time.
I'm thinking a little bigger than 3M Post-it-Notes. How about taking away all the big SUV's these upper level, over paid "management" people are driving, AWAY!!! The County garage has numerous Prius's just waiting to be driven. Not only would it cut down on fuel costs, it would help the environment and send a message to the community that the Tom Miller and his Merry-Men on the BOS REALLY do care about saving the County money. I just saw Sheriff Bonner driving around in a brand new Chevy Tahoe!!!! My god!, has anyone seen all the Ford SUV's in the county garage parking lot? Why can't our Sheriff drive an identifiable county vehicle. This issuance of overpriced, gas guzzling vehicles is ridiculous!! Trimming the fat needs to start at the top of each County department, not at figging Post-it-Notes!!!!!!!! And look at 10k Rocky, why does he need a fully packaged SUV......give the BOS Prius's........
Generic brand purchasing is nothing to sneeze at. It's these tangible, realistic, small cuts here and there (or mindless, unnecessary expenditures here and there) that really add up! Good job.