DECISIONS, DECISIONS – Mayor David Roberts is trying to avoid massive layoffs by creating as many new revenue ideas as possible. Last week he criticized the City Council for tabling many of the proposals.
Mayor David Roberts is taking the necessary steps to ready the city for layoffs, demotions, or other reductions in force, he said last week.
The City Council may have to make serious decisions at their meeting this Wednesday.
The city has an $11.7 million deficit to make up, due to a financial hole that widened in last year's budget.
Before any city workers lose their jobs, Roberts says he will ask the City Council to consider the few revenue-increasing options he has proposed.
Some city-proposed revenue ideas were put on hold by the City Council at their last meeting to further examine their feasibility or necessity.
Among them are controversial matters designed to increase revenue, including forcing local businesses to pay recycling fees - a measure the city attorney has said is very hard to legally implement.
Since it is uncertain whether the city will save money in other ways, the layoff plan is already in motion, according to Roberts.
Roberts met with the city's unions last week to discuss other ways to save money, as well as the effects of layoffs.
He said layoff notices will likely be sent to municipal employees in October.
City Attorney Joseph Pojanowski, who was sitting in last week for Steve Kleinman while he was on vacation, said that once notices are sent out, the city has 45 days to act, by law.