University Heights residents packed city council chambers on Jan. 19 to hear how the city could save money by outsourcing services and collaborating more with other municipalities.

The recommendations for outsourcing were extensive: fire & rescue, garbage pickup, snow removal, leaf pickup, street salting, payroll, housing inspection, jail facilities, police investigations, human resources, information technology, training-planning-management and purchasing.

These recommendations were part of a $25,000 study, which the city contracted for last January with David Akers, founder of Northeast Ohio Sourcing Office. Ebie Holst, a principal of Strategic Gear, partnered with Akers to conduct the study.

“This is not a city in crisis,” Holst said, but it could save more with additional “opportunities” for “outsourcing or collaboration.”  

The city is already involved in extensive collaborations with other municipalities; for example, a joint rescue team with Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, Beachwood and South Euclid and a shared municipal court with Shaker Heights and Pepper Pike.

“I strongly believe we have serious financial challenges as a community,” said councilman Steven Sims, “and if these things continue to go unaddressed, then we will likely be a community in crisis.”

It is not clear how much money would be saved by the outsourcing recommendations.

A copy of the “Exceptions Analysis” by the Northeast Ohio Sourcing Office is on the University Heights Web site, www.universityheights.com.

A meeting for residents and council to learn more and to ask questions of Akers and Holst will be held on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at University Heights City Hall. 

Anita Kazarian, a University Heights resident, is a frequent Observer contributor who ran for city council. She may be reached at AnitaKazarian@gmail.com