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Council presses DOT on overtime and vacancies as winter costs and special events drive overspend
Summary
Council members questioned Baltimore DOT about rising overtime and the effect of vacancies on service delivery. DOT identified snow response and special events as drivers, and the city administrator and HR chief pointed to an upcoming salary study and apprenticeship programs to help recruit and retain staff.
City Council members pressed Baltimore City Department of Transportation officials about rising overtime costs and widespread vacancies during FY‑26 budget hearings, seeking clearer accounting and plans to reduce reliance on overtime.
Council President Zee Cohen noted DOT reported $10.9 million in general‑fund overtime in calendar year 2023 and about $14.8 million in 2024, and asked for the FY‑25 projection and how vacancy funding was being used to cover overtime.
A staff member who provided the figures to the committee said, “for fiscal 25, based off of our third quarter projections, the Department of Transportation was projecting to spend, dollars 12,600,000.0 in overtime for fiscal 25. That, would result in an $8,600,000 deficit.” The staff member added that a portion of that deficit reflected citywide snow costs paid through DOT staffing during the winter response.
Why it matters: Council members said they want a realistic FY‑26 overtime estimate to avoid repeat supplemental requests and to better weigh hiring versus contracting decisions.
DOT response and staffing plans: - Director Veronica Macbeth said the agency has instituted a three‑tiered overtime authorization process and is piloting tighter controls in the maintenance division; she set a goal to roll the protocol agency‑wide in roughly three months. - City Administrator Faith Leach said the administration is negotiating a citywide salary study with unions; she and Macbeth said higher, competitive wages and an apprenticeship program planned with state backing are part of the recruitment strategy. - Macbeth said DOT is using some vacancy salary funds to cover overtime while actively holding hiring fairs and recruiting to fill critical roles, noting DOT has “the fourth largest vacancy amount” in the city.
Council direction: Members asked for clearer overtime budgeting for FY‑26 and timely reporting as the department pilots authorization protocols. DOT committed to agency‑wide rollout of overtime control procedures within the next three months and to continue reporting vacancy and overtime projections to the committee.
Ending: Council members and administration staff agreed that better forecasting, a finalized salary study and targeted hiring are needed to reduce overtime dependence while preserving essential emergency and event responses.
