Stataholics Onymus
Intermediate Algebra Fall ’08
Instructor: Barbara Rademacher
Group Members: Robert Arnold | Talina McDonald | Matthew Hughes
In The Beginning
• Initially our team was approached by the Rogers
Fire Department to do a study of and forecast of
emergency call statistics. After a few discussions
the direction changed to a city wide cost benefit
analysis of vehicle maintenance and a comparison
of that data to cities with municipal vehicle
maintenance shops or that contract exclusively with
one private shop.
• We encountered several obstacles initially that
required us to create a website for communication
and coordination between team members. This site
became the heart of our project.
Goals We Sought To Achieve
The question.
 Can the city of Rogers, Arkansas better utilize tax
payer money by creating a municipal repair facility?
 Positive side effects if it is determined that a
municipal repair facility is cost effective.
 Ability to guarantee regular maintenance resulting in more
efficient and dependable city service vehicles. This
reduces the cities carbon footprint and provides better
service to the residents of Rogers.
Methods
• Finding and comparing cities to Rogers that
currently have city-run maintenance facilities.
• Extensive internet searching.
• Contacting local and state government agencies
to request assistance.
• Use of data analysis software.
• Use of a team webpage for storage of data,
organization, communication, and coordination.
Systematic Search For Answers
• Initial idea to answer our question.
– Find cities in the state of Arkansas that currently
have city-run repair and maintenance facilities,
with which we can compare costs.
• Method
– Search government and statistical websites and
organizations for information on Arkansas cities
that are within a reasonable range of Rogers’
budget, land area, and population for 2006 and
2007.
Systematic Search For Answers
• After searching numerous cities across Arkansas
we found three that matched our criteria and
began contacting these cities to request data.
– Hot Springs
– Jonesboro
– North Little Rock
Systematic Search For Answers
• How would we have worked with the data we
received to answer our question?
– With the total number of vehicles from each department of
each city and the maintenance costs by department for
2006 and 2007, we could effectively show a percentage
cost per department and compare the different sized cities
effectively.
– The detail level through this method could increase as
deep as the information allowed. As an example, the
costs could be broken down to the quarter or monthly
level, the vehicles could be separated by type and even
calculations could be made for the length of time that
each vehicle was in use for that year.
Example Spreadsheet
2006
dep1
dep2
dep3
city1
cost
# of vehc.
350.00
20.00
200.00
25.00
500.00
45.00
dep1
dep2
dep3
Rogers
cost
# of vehc.
700.00
15.00
1,300.00
20.00
5,000.00
40.00
cost per
17.50
8.00
11.11
cost per
46.67
65.00
125.00
dep1
dep2
dep3
dep1
dep2
dep3
cost
400.00
1,000.00
2,000.00
city2
# of vehc.
25.00
30.00
50.00
cost per
16.00
33.33
40.00
Comparitive Cost by Department
city1
city2
Rogers
262.50
240.00
700.00
160.00
666.67
1,300.00
444.44
1,600.00
5,000.00
Community Benefits
• The community our project benefits:
– Everyone in the city of Rogers that depends on
municipal vehicles and pays taxes.
• We’ve shown that it doesn’t take much more
than an idea and some helpful people to help
our community.
Community Benefits
If a city run maintenance facility was found to be cost
effective...
• Roger's carbon footprint will be reduced by insuring timely
and regular maintenance.
• Taxpayer money will be more effectively utilized.
• Public service vehicles can be more dependable and effective
within the community.
If not...
• The city will know that the current method of servicing public
service vehicles at local private repair shops is cost effective.
• Taxpayer money will not have been wasted in determining the
result.
• Local repair shop owners can breathe a sigh of relief.
Course Content
• Accounting, statistical, and some advanced
math skills were essential in the search for
answers to our question.
• We compiled budget and expense data.
• We would have used statistical concepts like
mean, median and mode in comparing
compiled data.
Technology
• This project could not have been completed
without the use of computers and the many
varieties of technology found therein.
– Coordination was especially difficult for some team
members which forced us to create our website for
communication, coordination, and data storage.
– Extensive internet searching and e-mail
correspondence was also vital.
Timeline
Outcomes
• An understanding that Rogers needs a deeper look
into their method of city vehicle maintenance.
• Costs at first glance seem to be out of line with
similar cities that have municipal repair facilities.
• An understanding that poor team participation
destroys moral and progress.
Skills Put to Good Use
Teamwork
Networking
Responsibility
A Better Us
In the End
With the contacts we have made and the direction
this project has taken, we know the easy work is
ahead. A few of us will continue to push for the
answer to our original question and hope to
present our findings to the city soon.
Credits and Thanks to
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Barbara Rademacher
Mrs. McClendend
Lt. Matt Miller of the Rogers Fire Department
Fire Chief Allen Bradrick
City of Rogers Asst. CFO Dolly Lyon
Arkansas Municipal League
US Municipal League
Arkansas Legislative Audit State Department
Ricky Tomkins - NWACC statistical
Gregg Speas - Hot Springs Maintenance Facility Manager
Frank Griffin - North Little Rock
Kortney White – Jonesboro
Magical pixies
Goodbye
and
Merry
Christmas