[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 57 (Monday, March 25, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13645-13646]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7125]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-4743-N-03]
Notice of Planned Closing of Topeka, Kansas Post-of-Duty Station
AGENCY: Office of Inspector General, HUD.
ACTION: Notice of planned closing of Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty
station.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the HUD Office of
Inspector General (OIG) is closing its Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty
station, and also provides a cost-benefit analysis of the impact of the
closure.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bryan Saddler, Counsel to the
Inspector General, Room 8260, Department of Housing and Urban
Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410, (202) 708-
1613. (This is not a toll free number.) A telecommunications device for
hearing- and speech-impaired persons (TTY) is available at 1-800-877-
8339 (Federal Information Relay Services). (This is a toll-free
number.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
In 1998, HUD/OIG established a one-person post-of-duty station in
Topeka, Kansas, to give direct support to the HUD/OIG's Operation Safe
Home (OSH) initiative to combat violent and drug-related crime in
public and assisted housing in Topeka and nearby communities. Although
the Topeka post-of-duty station is only about 50 miles from HUD/OIG's
Kansas City Regional Office, nationwide experience since the initiation
of OSH in 1994 had proven that the best results/impact could be
obtained when HUD/OIG Special Agents were physically located in the
target city. However, in accordance with the requirements of the Fiscal
Year 2002 HUD Appropriations Act (Pubic Law 107-73, approved November
26, 2001), HUD/OIG is terminating OSH and re-deploying staff to focus
on investigations involving single-family fraud and property flipping.
This change eliminates the need to maintain a separate post-of-duty
station in Topeka, Kansas, and gives HUD/OIG the opportunity to
generate cost savings associated with discontinuing an additional
office.
Section 7(p) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act
(42 U.S.C. 3535(p)) provides that a plan for field reorganization,
which may involve the closing of any field or regional office, of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development may not take effect until
90 days after a cost-benefit analysis of the effect of the plan on the
office in question is published in the Federal Register. The required
cost-benefit analysis should include: (1) An estimate of cost savings
anticipated; (2) an estimate of the additional cost which will result
from the reorganization; (3) a discussion of the impact on the local
economy; and (4) an estimate of the effect of the reorganization on the
availability, accessibility, and quality of services provided for
recipients of those services.
Legislative history pertaining to section 7(p) indicates that not
all reorganizations are subject to the requirements of section 7(p).
Congress stated that ``[t]his amendment is not intended to [apply] to
or restrict the internal operations or organization of the Department
(such as the
[[Page 13646]]
establishment of new or combination of existing organization units
within a field office, the duty stationing of employees in various
locations to provide on-site service, or the establishment or closing,
based on workload, of small, informal offices such as valuation
stations).'' (See House Conference Report No. 95-1792, October 14, 1978
at 105-106.)
The two-person duty station in Topeka, Kansas, is a single-purpose
duty station, and the duty station is being closed based on workload
rather than on a reorganization of HUD/OIG field offices. Although
notice of the closing of a duty station is not subject to the
requirement of section 7(p), as supported by legislative history, HUD/
OIG nevertheless prepared a cost-benefit analysis for its own use in
determining whether to proceed with the closing. Through this notice,
HUD/OIG advises the public of the closing of the Topeka, Kansas duty
station and provides the cost-benefit analysis of the impact of the
closure.
Impact of the Closure of the Topeka, Kansas Post-of-Duty Station
HUD/OIG considered the costs and benefits of closing the Topeka,
Kansas post-of-duty, and is publishing its cost-benefit analysis with
this notice. In summary, HUD/OIG has determined that the closure will
result in a cost savings, and, as a result of the size and limited
function of the office, will cause no appreciable impact on the
provision of authorized investigative services/activities in the area
(i.e., OSH activities, of course, will be impacted, but HUD/OIG has
been directed to terminate these activities).
Cost-Benefit Analysis
A. Cost Savings: The Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty currently costs
$21,415 per year in lease and other expenses. Thus, closing the post-
of-duty will result in an annual savings of at least $21,415. In
addition, by closing the office HUD/OIG will not be required to incur
additional costs associated with current plans to install high-speed
computer access lines to and on the premises, nor will HUD/OIG incur
costs associated with the lease or purchase of duplicative office
equipment.
B. Additional Costs: There are no offsetting expenses anticipated.
The Special Agent assigned to the Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty will be
reassigned to the Kansas City Regional Office, without need for
relocation reimbursement. Further, there is adequate existing office
space to accommodate the Special Agent within the Kansas City Regional
Office.
C. Impact on Local Economy: The Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty office
space comprises a mere 1,162 square feet of space, which can easily be
re-leased to other tenants. Thus, no appreciable impact on the local
economy is anticipated.
D. Effect on Availability, Accessibility and Quality of Services
Provided to Recipients of Those Services: The establishment of the
Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty was based entirely on the needs of the HUD/
OIG to have a Special Agent in closer proximity to OSH activities
conducted in the Topeka area. These activities are being terminated.
Further, as was the case prior to 1998, fraud investigations in the
Topeka area can be cost effectively addressed by agents assigned to the
Kansas City Regional Office, which is about 50 miles away.
For the reasons stated in this notice, HUD/OIG intends to proceed
to close its Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty station at the expiration of
the 90-day period from the date of publication of this notice.
Dated: March 15, 2002.
Michael P. Stephens,
Deputy Inspector General.
[FR Doc. 02-7125 Filed 3-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-78-P