By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com
ASHTABULA — In hopes of avoiding layoffs and furloughs, the city’s police department is considering a voluntary retirement plan for those officers close to retirement age.
After weeks of tussling over what should be done to solve this year’s $862,000 shortfall, City Council’s Finance and Ordinance Committee met in executive session for nearly an hour Tuesday morning to discuss the police department’s proposal.
City Manager Anthony Cantagallo and City Solicitor Michael Franklin were absent from the meeting.
“I thought they would be here,” said Council Vice President Betty Kist, who also chairs the committee.
Cantagallo could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Franklin, who was in court Tuesday morning, said he sent a detailed memo, and gave the council legal advice, about the proposed voluntary retirement plan. The Finance and Ordinance Committee came out of executive session and announced it would discuss the retirement plan further at Monday night’s regular council meeting when the full council, the city manager and the city solicitor are scheduled to be present.
Kist would not discuss what took place during executive session.
The two police officers who are volunteering to take early retirement are Sgt. Ronald Kaydo and Patrol Officer Larry Ellison. If the plan is implemented, the city could save more than $60,000 this year.
The buyout would include:
n Total payments to the two officers would not exceed $20,114;
n The two officers would have to retire on or before March 31;
n Their positions could not to be filled by new hires for at least one year. A promotion of an existing employee to the vacant sergeant’s position would be allowed at the city manager’s discretion; and
n The city manager and the police chief would have to implement reasonable measures to prevent excessive overtime in the department.
Police Chief Robert Stell said the buyouts would be an alternative to layoffs and would keep more police officers on the road.
The fire chief and three members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees’ Local 1197 also attended the meeting.
