Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Jobs dropped to save city dollars

By Shelley Grieshop
Photo by Shelley Grieshop/The Daily Standard

A group of Celina city workers stand in solidarity on Monday night as council members vote to approve the termination of two full-time parks and recreation positions.

CELINA - In an effort to curb the city's bleak financial situation, Celina City Council members on Monday night abolished two full-time parks and recreation jobs.
The position of recreation office service coordinator, held by Donna Birt, is now classified as part time. Birt will be offered the new position, officials said. The job held by Chad Howell as parks maintenance crew leader assistant was abolished.
The action - approved on emergency measure - becomes effective May 31 and will save the city "in the neighborhood of $80,000," safety service director Rick Bachelor replied when asked prior to council's near unanimous vote on the ordinance. Councilman Ed Jeffries Sr. cast the only "no" vote.
Prior to the vote, Howell exchanged heated words with Celina Mayor Sharon LaRue. He questioned why the Bryson Trust Fund was not used for some of the city's maintenance needs, as it was originally set up to do. LaRue told him the trust can no longer be used for that purpose due to amendments through the years by its trustees.
Obviously frustrated, Howell lashed out at LaRue.
"If this town goes down, all the blame goes to the mayor," he said.
LaRue replied she would accept full responsibility if that were to occur.
Prior to making a motion to abolish the jobs, councilwoman Angie King became emotional as she addressed the two dozen-plus city workers in attendance to support Birt and Howell.
"This was a very difficult ordinance to propose. Nobody wants to see anybody lose their jobs," King said. "This is a small community, we're neighbors ... but as council members, we are elected to do a job. We are required by law to balance our budget."
King said current finances show that by January 2011 the city is "going to be short $1 million bucks."
"If we don't do our job, the state will do it for us," she added.
As council members passed the ordinance, about a dozen city workers in the council chambers rose to their feet to show solidarity.
Council members reviewed the number of employees in each city department and noted that other job classifications also are being reviewed for cuts.
"We have a huge gap to fill," said Bachelor, in reference to balancing the city's budget. "The longer we go, the bigger the gap gets."
Other areas besides jobs are being reviewed for cost-cutting measures, Bachelor said.
"We can't put it all on the backs of our employees," he added.
The city already has tapped $300,000 from a fire truck fund to meet expenses this year, officials said.
Bachelor said other cost-cutting measures are being discussed with the Celina Municipal Employees Representative Committee (CMERC) - the union representing firefighters, police officers and dispatchers. Proposals include wage freezes, offering employees a health savings plan instead of a traditional health insurance plan, holidays without pay and job buy-outs.
All the proposals would require negotiations with the CMERC, Bachelor said.
"We haven't got that far yet," he added.
Additional online story on this date
Eight Mercer County farmers will split $18,000 in grant money during the next two years to plant winter cover crops as a way to help transition to no-till farming. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
CELINA - Celina city council members Monday night approved borrowing $1.35 million to fund the ongoing Main Street reconstruction project.
Councilman Ed Jeffries Sr. voiced the only "no" vote for the ordinance.
Farmers in Mercer and Auglaize counties will need to replant thousands of acres of soybeans damaged by frost a few weeks ago, local ag officials say.
Corn saw minimal damage and likely will rebound.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office encourages area residents to take note of suspicious activities in their neighborhood in the wake of daytime burglaries occurring in a two-county area.
Auglaize County
WAPAKONETA - Voter turnout at the May 4 primary in Auglaize County was 5,152, or 15.8 percent of the 32,489 registered voters in the county, according to the official ballot count completed Monday.
Coldwater
COLDWATER - The accidental death of a city worker in Middletown earlier this month has led village manager/engineer Eric Thomas to seek a gas detector for the village.
Mercer and Auglaize county unemployment figures improved during the month of April, according to data released today from the Ohio Job and Family Services.
St. Marys
ST. MARYS - Memorial High School will graduate 188 members of the 2010 senior class at 2 p.m. Sunday in McBroom Gymnasium. This class will forever carry the distinction of being the last class to complete four full years in the 1923 building.
November election
The Republican Party selected St. Henry resident Dave Kaiser as their candidate for Mercer County treasurer on the November ballot.
The unanimous appointment Monday night at the Republican Party's special meeting was a formality. Kaiser was appointed as interim treasurer by the party in April.
St. Marys council
ST. MARYS - Council members conducted routine business quickly Monday night and spent time on some local concerns that homeowners should address, such as blocking driveways and brush in the street.
ROCKFORD - This past week was a busy one for Parkway seniors to make their college choices official.
On Tuesday, Panthers swimmer Corbin Hellwarth announced that he will continue swimming in college for a very strong Wilmington College program.