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City may restore some of employees' lost pay
(by Sali McSherry - August 18, 2010)
City may restore some of employees' lost pay
By SALI McSHERRY
Furloughs for Pepper Pike employees are on track to be eliminated, which for most city workers, excluding the police, add up to 15 percent of the 25 percent pay cut they received beginning March 1. All City Council members informally agreed on the measure at last week's road and safety meeting.
A 0.5 percent income-tax increase that would have ended after five years was defeated by Pepper Pike voters on Aug. 3. The tax would have generated about $2.2 million a year.
Employees affected by the pay cuts delivered a petition to Mayor Bruce H. Akers last week requesting that the city eliminate them. It was a thoughtfully written letter, the mayor said, and well over half the employees signed it.
If the furloughs are eliminated, the fire department would again operate with a four-person team on a shift, Mr. Akers said, which would be in compliance with Ohio state law. The department has been running with a three-person team per shift since March. He said the city needs to develop plans to use part-time firefighters as needed.
Councilman Clevis Svetlik, along with other council members, said they wanted to eliminate the furloughs as soon as possible following last night's (Aug. 18) meeting, instead of waiting until September. A 25 percent pay cut is "astronomical," Mr. Svetlik said.
Mr. Akers said he also wants to restore part of the 10 percent pay cut, "given the morale factor we are encountering."
Councilwoman Gail Mayland said, while she agrees with eliminating the furlough, there needs to be an overall review of pay scales. Following analysis of that data, council will be in a position to make a decision about whether the city can eliminate part of the 10 percent pay cut, she said.
Councilman Allan Krulak said he was thankful for the employees' loyalty to the city and their efforts during a difficult situation, a point all council members and the mayor agreed with.
Mr. Akers requested that council agree to bring back police officer Pat Gannon, who was in line to get his job back after a fellow officer was hired elsewhere. Mr. Gannon stepped aside so that officer James Colbert, who has a young daughter receiving medical treatment, could be rehired.
Some council members said they needed to see more financial analysis of the city's budget before they could make that decision.
Police Sgt. Mike Cannon said that five officers out of a total of 20 had been cut due to the budget restraints. He said he takes issue with the city if it isn't willing to bring at least one officer back.
Mr. Gannon is the kind of officer the city wants, Mr. Akers said.
Councilwoman Paulette Morganstern said she hoped the city could take the 10 percent pay cut down to a 5 percent pay cut.
She said she believes residents who voted against the income-tax increase were "misguided" and that they hadn't considered the difficult circumstances of the employees. Opposition to the tax increase by some voters was linked to their personal feelings against the mayor or council members, she said.
Resident Kevin String, who said he was one of those "misguided voters," told council that, with the exception of Mrs. Mayland and Councilwoman Jill Miller Zimon, their insensitivity, denial and contempt for the majority of voters who opposed the tax was disconcerting.
Resident Manny Naft said he was shocked by Mrs. Morganstern's comments. Council and the mayor shouldn't be blaming the residents for the city overspending its budget, he said. Elected city officials should be taking ownership of the problem, he said.
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