03/02/2010 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 03-02-2010 ,. legislation. Councilman Mahoney made a motion to recommend approval. The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Williamson, and the vote was 2-1 to recommend approval. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Dave Boatman, 2093 Brown Road, Lakewood Ohio said he's representing the firefighters here tonight. He would like to make a few comments with regards to the proposed Ordinance 2010-29. His understanding is this Ordinance has been proposed because Mayor Kennedy has stated the need of the city to balance the budget by the end of March. He does not see how the city will save in excess of $400,000 by implementing the proposed changes outlined in the Ordinance. The firefighters are still willing to offer and resolve any budget shortfalls the city needs to prevent layoffs. They are willing to make wage concessions of approximately $440,000 to assist in balancing this year's budget. Ordinance 2010-29 and the litigation that will result is unnecessary and unproductive. They ask to not pass Ordinance 2010-29 through special rules tonight, and instead, sit down with them and accept wage concessions of approximately $440,000. Mayor Kennedy said they started this negotiation process in November of 2008, and it's been sixteen months of negotiations and talking. Negotiations broke down and both sides determined to get an independent Fact Finder to find out what's right for the residents of North Olmsted. An independent Fact Finder came back with a report which the city is more than happy to accept and the Fire Department voted it down. He does not find any pleasure in making these tough decisions, but he the city needs to restructure and reorganize for efficiency and for budget reasons. The Fact Finder gave a realistic report - what's best for the residents, and that's what he stands for. Jerome Barrett, 24125 Lebern Drive said negotiations started in November of 2008. It's been sixteen months. He as a resident thinks that's more than enough time to get the job done. He agrees with the Mayor that an independent Fact Finder came up with a report. It's unfortunate that the firefighters don't accept it. All the other unions seemed to have felt that in accepting what they accepted, it was fair and just for the times and for themselves and for the city and for the residents. He thinks if the legislation is going to do things for the residents to make things more efficient and help them out, he's all for it. Dennis Lambert, 25057 Carey Lane said it looks as though the city is being managed as a crisis management situation -like putting out little fires all over the place. He talked to the Mayor privately, he recognizes what the Mayor's trying to do, and he commends him on having to make some very bold decisions. The city needs a little more creativity in what they do. Not looking at the dollars and cents and the bottom line, but looking at the jobs and how to change them around to save overtime rather than paying people overtime. He remembers the Mayor of East Cleveland had firefighters trimming lawns, but he wasn't laying them off. Changing Article V of the Charter -getting rid of departments, and what the Mayor intentionally wanted to do was modify what the directors could do instead of the rigid structure that the directors had to operate under. The Mayor wants to modify it and be able to move people back and forth, maybe fill 6 ~.~~. w._:~_....