ASHTABULA — A city official made critical comments Wednesday regarding Tuesday’s cuts in public services by the city manager.
Weary from repeated budget meetings with City Auditor Michael Zullo, City Council President Charles Brockway and Vice President Betty Kist, City Manager Anthony Cantagallo terminated trash pickups on holidays, reduced recycling, squashed overtime for public works employees and canceled spring cleanup day — all in an attempt to begin closing the city’s budget gap.
Dom Iarocci, superintendent of public services, believes the administration should do things differently.
“This is absolutely — madness, ridiculous, bull crap. We’re talking trash, snowplows and potholes,” Iarocci said. “Everything above that is a luxury in this city.”
Cantagallo could not be reached for comment.
Iarocci said he and his men have worked hard to put the sanitation department in the black.
“Yet cuts are being made in this department,” he said. “Cuts that directly affect every citizen in the city.”
Cantagallo announced the slash in services late Tuesday afternoon, less than 24 hours after council’s decision to allow its six department heads to come up with their own cost-saving ideas before the Feb. 16 council meeting. The department heads were adamantly against a 20 percent salary reduction for themselves, as suggested by Cantagallo, Brockway and Kist, who met eight times to come up with a proposal to balance the budget.
Zullo said he anticipates the general fund will fall short by more than $862,000 this year.
“Sanitation is currently taking in enough money for operating expenses but not enough to pay for equipment,” Zullo said. “Half of the city’s shortfall is health insurance, to which Iarocci contributes, but it’s not enough.”
Talk of how to fix the city’s budget problems and the possibility of slashing salaries caused heated discussions at Monday night’s council meeting, but after two hours, council moved forward only with firefighter concessions to cut overtime by $115,000.
The sanitation department was hit with layoffs last year, as was the auditor’s office.
Iarocci said council must start making decisions on cutting things the city can’t afford, not the services the people pay for.
“It’s not right,” he said.
“The cut to not let public works work overtime is just not right, either,” Iarocci said. “The city is telling the citizens if there is snow to be plowed or a sewer call after 3 p.m., the public is cheated again. Absolutely ridiculous!”
Residents pay $15 a month for trash pickup, plus a $2 and change surcharge.
“Citizens are paying for these services,” he said. “It is time to call your councilperson and demand the services you pay a fee for, to be restored.”
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