Fire Dept Layoffs May be Averted, Police Expect 15

Marion City Council’s Finance Committee discussed the 2012 budget Monday evening and, as expected, were told the situation will required deep cuts and layoffs of City employees. While the fire and police departments are expected to be hard hit, a plan for concessions could avert all layoffs of firefighters.

Bill Lucius, president for IAFF Local 379, read a letter at the meeting stating the union’s intention to seek concessions from its members. The group is scheduled to meet on Tuesday evening to discuss, and possibly, vote on the plan. Details of the proposed concessions were not made available, but would include not filling five positions open from retirements this year and one position open following the death of a firefighter in a motorcycle crash.

Those five open positions have the fire department in a different place than the police department. Because they do not have enough staff in a position to retire, Dave Troutman, chair of the blue unit of the Fraternal Order of Police Ohio Labor Council, said 15 officers will be laid off at the end of the year with another laid off in 2012.

While layoffs in the fire and police departments have garnered the most attention, it is expected that layoffs will take place in other areas as well.

“Layoffs are inevitable for the City of Marion,” stated Marion Mayor Scott Schertzer. “We can’t provide the same level of services with the decreased revenues that we are seeing.”

Schertzer said the City was fortunate to have started the downturn with a $4 million carryover in 2008. He said those funds have been used up over the years and there is nothing left. He also pointed out that the expected revenues for 2012 of $15.67 million is the same amount that was collected in 2002.

Schertzer said “most” City employees have made considerable concessions to help weather the downturn, but that things are not expected to improve in 2012 and those concessions will have to continue.

The proposed budget for 2012 is balanced at this point with estimated revenues of $15,677,941.64 and estimated expenses of $15,671,850.49. Schertzer said he is continuing to look at options to reduce expenses, including the elimination or reduction of non-essential services. He offered no details on what those cuts might entail.

The proposed budget still has to be passed by City Council. That is traditionally done following the swearing in of the new City Council which is scheduled for January 2. Further discussions on the budget are expected through December.

You can view the proposed budget breakdown by clicking here.