Press Release 1

City cuts 24.5 positions

BY JENNIFER BAILEY
Commercial-News

DANVILLE February 04, 2009 01:17 am

— Firefighters are used to coming to the rescue in a fire or medical emergency.
But they also came to the city’s rescue by providing about half the cuts needed to eradicate an estimated $1.2 million budget deficit for the city’s 2009-2010 fiscal year starting May 1.
Mayor Scott Eisenhauer publicly announced approximately 25 position cuts at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
Taking the biggest hits are the fire and public works departments, with seven positions cut each.
Other position eliminations included five in the police department, four in public development and 1.5 in public affairs.
Prior to the cuts, city employees with benefits totaled 267.
The city’s proposed $23 million budget also includes a one-year wage freeze for all non-union employees.
The budget is an increase from this fiscal year’s $22.9 million budget.
Eisenhauer explained the cuts are needed due to revenues only increasing about .43 percent, while annual salaries, benefits, materials and other expenditures went up 5.5 to 7 percent.
The city is expected to receive about $40,000 less in revenue income than a year ago.
Due to flat revenues and the instability of the national and local economies, revenue numbers are based on 2007-08 numbers, he said.
“With revenues down and expenditures up, we simply reduced our estimated expenditures to mirror the estimated revenue projection final numbers (or less) for this fiscal year…,” he said in budget notes.
No new revenues are proposed. Any additional funding will go toward rebuilding the city’s general fund reserve.
EMPLOYEE CUTS
“Cuts in personnel were based solely on an evaluation of the position, not the person holding the position,” Eisenhauer said.
City employees made cost-savings suggestions starting last fall.
Among those at the forefront in providing suggestions was the firefighters union.
Under the proposed budget, personnel would be reduced from 58 to 51 through attrition, which includes five current vacan-cies.
There also will be savings in overtime with a reduction of minimum manning at a fire station from 13 to 11. More serious fires will trigger larger callbacks.
Approximate savings are $405,000.
A side agreement was proposed and negotiated with the International Association of Firefighters Local 429 executive board. It will be presented to the city council for action Feb. 17.
Eisenhauer said he was “speechless” and “thrilled” at the cooperation and unity of the union and its suggestions to work with the city, not against it.
These comments and recognition of the firefighters in the audience received a standing ovation from aldermen.
Aaron Marcott, president of the union, said it was important all four fire stations remain open to keep response times down.
He said after last year’s city budget difficulties and proposed fire department cuts which were discussed but never approved, the union membership knew they had to work with the city during these more difficult economic times.
Elsewhere in the fire department, deputy director Bobby Lillard’s position is being cut. Three assistant chiefs remain.
By contract, Lillard can return to an administrative captain’s position if he chooses. He was unavailable for comment Tuesday night.
Other cuts on the budget block included: elimination of public affairs assistant and half salary from general fund for accounts receivable administrator; elimination of Code Enforcement Manager Rodney Buckham’s and Neighborhood Services Specialist Nathan Ingold’s positions, in addition to consolidation of the plumbing inspector and plumber positions, and building inspector and electrical inspector positions; in the public works department, fire auxiliary workers, a plumber and Steve Lane’s superin-tendent of parks and public property position, as well as consolidation of community improvements coordinator and superinten-dent of motor vehicle parking.
Also in the police department, one police officer position currently vacant is eliminated, in addition to a transcriber, records clerk supervisor and two third-shift records clerks are cut.
Employee cuts will take effect Feb. 27. and severance packages will be offered.
There are also some new positions created due to the consolidations and reorganizations. Other enterprise fund divisions, meaning revenues taken in pay for their operations, such as Danville Mass Transit and Harrison Park Golf Course, weren’t affected by these general-fund cuts.
A city employee described the mood at city hall as “quiet” this week as employees were notified Monday and Tuesday of the cuts.
Ward 7 Alderman Steve Foster views the cuts as “win-win” for all involved; and resident Terry Moreman told city officials Tuesday night that he hates to see anybody lose their job, but he supported whatever the city had to do to keep the budget in line.
Ward 1 Alderman Tommie Reed said employees affected by the layoffs, in addition to the public, can apply for some of the reorganized city department positions.
Budget discussions will continue for two months with aldermen expected to vote on the measure April 7.
In other business, the council:
-- Recognized 4-year-old True Vanderwalt with a certificate of appreciation and a stuffed dog. She called 911 after her mother fell in their house due to a medical condition.
-- Reduced the fees for late sewer and garbage bill payments from $10 each to $5 each.
-- Beefed up a dangerous and vicious dogs ordinance.
-- Changed ordinances to refer to the city now having only a corporation counsel, not a city attorney, and the combining of duties.
Ward 4 Alderman Terry Baldwin voiced concerns about a possible conflict of interest in certain instances, such as when an alderman speaks with Corp. Counsel Dave Wesner about confidential issues not as a city employee.
Eisenhauer maintains there will be a separation of duties.