Sep 14, 2005 By Patty Yauger 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – The controller will seek council approval for the installation of a cost-free system that will require those dialing numbers from city telephones to identify themselves. Jean Wrote, city controller, said the action, if approved, would curb expenses tied to the telephone usage and enable her to identify anyone making calls unrelated to city business.

Mayor Judy Reed will propose the resolution at tonight’s council meeting.

“I support this resolution,” said Reed. “There are many legitimate calls made out of town and when each (employee or city official) has an identification number, (the calls) will be easier to track. This is accountability.”

Last month, Wrote informed council that telephone invoices crossing her desk for approval indicated that calls were being made to a variety of locations, but with no indication of which employee was making the call or what business was being transacted on behalf of the city.

“My biggest concern is that a majority of these calls are not being logged,” said Wrote.

According to a Verizon invoice for city telephone service from July 10 to Aug. 9, a total of 263 calls were made from the city’s 14 telephone lines at a cost of $536.13.

The bulk of the calls were made within the 724 area code with others made to the 412 area code region, near Pittsburgh and others to Harrisburg-area locations.

Telephone calls were also placed to Ohio, Texas, Arizona, Maryland, New Jersey, Illinois, West Virginia, Louisiana, New York, Utah and Florida, according to the invoice provided by Wrote.

Last year, Wrote approached council members overseeing the various city departments and requested the employees maintain a record of long-distance calls being made each day to track telephone usage and curb costs, when possible.

While some employees do log their out-of-area calls, others are lax, said Wrote.

David Pinkosky, city clerk, logs long-distance calls made by him from his office, but only if they are made from areas outside the southwestern part of the state.

“To me, its local if it is in the 724 or 412 area (code),” said Pinkosky. “Pittsburgh and Greensburg are local calls to me. I do not log those calls.”

The city is charged for telephone calls to Brownsville, Fairchance, Masontown and other nearby communities. There are no charges assessed for calls made to Uniontown, Scottdale, Mount Pleasant, Dunbar or Dawson.

Pinkosky said that he occasionally places telephone calls to Harrisburg for assistance with city matters, but utilizes toll-free numbers in most instances. Last year, during negotiations with Widewater for the transfer of property on the city’s West Side, several telephone calls were made to the New York corporate office, he added.

“I spend a lot of my time on the telephone,” said Pinkosky. “I never logged every call, but would estimate that I make at least 20 calls every day.”

The city bookkeeper and administrative secretary maintain separate telephone log sheets that are turned over to Wrote. Pinkosky said he does not review the listings. The protocol is for the paperwork to be collected by Wrote.

Pinkosky said that he welcomes the implementation of a code system.

“It will be a way for Mrs. Wrote or anyone who reviews the telephone bills to know who is placing the call,” he said.

Judy Keller, city treasurer, said that she and office personnel receive telephone calls from mortgage and insurance companies requesting tax information on city property that requires long-distance calling. The calls made, she added, are logged as required.

“We make very few calls,” said Keller.

Wrote, meanwhile, said the identification codes would be assigned to administrative and tax office staff, maintenance workers, street, health, recreation, fire and police department personnel along with police department dispatchers that man the telephones. Codes will also be distributed to city officials that utilize the telephone system.

“They will not be able to dial out on any call without prefacing the number with their assigned code,” said Wrote. “Unless you have been assigned a code, you can’t use the phone.”

Council will meet at 7 p.m. at the municipal building.