ASHTABULA —
Facing a wave of layoffs, a group of sanitation department employees say the city manager’s proposed 2013 budget will short change the public of their basic services.
The city manager says the services will be slower, but the city will continue to provide them.
The budget proposal will combine the sanitation and public works departments and reduce the employees from 32 to 23 employees, come March. These are the people who pick up trash and leaf bags, plow snow and fill potholes on a daily basis.
In the past three years, these departments have lost seven workers, and those who are left say they can’t take any more cuts.
City Manager Jim Timonere said when he started his proposed budget, he faced a $600,000 deficit in public works.
“The general fund has to supplement it,” he said. “We needed to get public works in line and that means layoffs.”
The workers — all members of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Local 1197 — want the city manager to look elsewhere to trim his deficit.
“We are short staffed now,” said Colin Fagan, a city employee and resident. “If we are laid off, people won’t get services. Their streets won’t get plowed, their garbage won’t get picked up. They are being misled.”
Sanitation department employee Chad Mongenel said, “The sanitation department is the least paid in the city — (the city manager) starts cutting at the lowest and what the people pay for (services).”
Fagan agreed.
“We are paid good money, but we are the least paid compared to other departments,” he said.
Sanitation department employee David Wood said he wasn’t happy to hear that city officials want to hire a part-time finance clerk while laying off full-time sanitation workers.
“Our union contract says seasonal and part-time employees must go home before and full-time people in the union city-wide,” Wood said.
Fagan said if nine more sanitation workers lose their jobs, all the perks residents enjoy will have to go.
“No more walk-ups, no more courtesies and catering to customers,” he said. “All of the small-town advantages will be gone. There will be no time.”
Timonere said the number of layoffs will be determined by the number of older employees taking the buy-out option presented to them. He also said sanitation will have the same number of people working the garbage trucks because “people will move from other departments.”
The workers, who didn’t all want their names in the newspaper, aren’t impressed with the buy-out plan.
The buy-out isn’t anything but “taking your retirement and going home,” Mongenel said.
Timonere’s plan isn’t just laying off workers. He took a $10,000 a year pay-cut, and other department heads will see a 4 percent cut in salary. He also reduced all non-union salary employees’ income by 2 percent.
Timonere said there is only about $180,000 difference between revenue and expenditures for 2013.
“I know (sanitation workers) bust their butts; that’s why I’m combining the departments to make sure the guys are on the garbage trucks first,” he said. “If anyone wants to talk to me about that, my door is always open.”
City Auditor Dana Pinkert backed the manager, saying layoffs were necessary because there is simply not enough money.
Local News
Sanitation workers unhappy with proposed Ashtabula budget
- Local News
-
-
Garage Sale Bonanza accepting donations at Saybrook Plaza store
Pat Graham pulls a shopping cart of random items through the cavernous storefront at the Saybrook Plaza.
-
Dog tied to Dumpster, abandoned in Geneva Township
The skinny dog choked on the rope holding him to a green Dumpster. People came and went, unsure of the hairless creature’s temperament. After awhile, people knew something had to be done — a dog can’t live tied to the garbage can.
-
Task Force nabs Ashtabula man in traffic death case
An Ashtabula man who served time in connection with a 2006 traffic death was arrested Friday morning by members of a special law enforcement task force, officials said.
-
No automatic recounts result from Ashtabula County May election
No problems, no glitches — and no automatic recounts — resulted from Ashtabula County’s May special election.
-
Plaque saluting Conneaut war dead to make debut
The names of 49 people who gave their lives during times of combat can now be found on a plaque that will be featured at Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony in Conneaut.
-
Ashtabula Downtown Development Association to explore restoration of theater — public asked for input
The Ashtabula Downtown Development Association (ADDA) has embarked on a process to study and make recommendations about the possible restoration of Shea’s Theater. The Association’s Economic Restructuring Committee will be exploring potential entertainment options for the theater, examining successfully restored theaters in other communities, and looking at issues of sustainability.
-
Students learn about the outdoors in Ashtabula Gulf
More than 275 fifth and sixth grade students spent half a day in the Ashtabula Gulf learning about nature, art and photography.
-
Children release butterflies at YMCA Learning Center
A line of more than 20 children walked carefully from the Ashtabula YMCA to a flower bed where they prepared for the annual butterfly release; symbolizing a change of life.
-
Prison workers improve Port of Conneaut Marine Memorial Park
Port of Conneaut Marine Memorial Park got a face-lift Friday with the help of the staff at Lake Erie Correctional Institution.
-
Local group proposes charter form of Ashtabula County government
County government could see a big change if a local group is successful in getting a proposed charter form of government on the November ballot.
- More Local News Headlines
-
