12/03/2002 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 12/3!2002 ~,, observed that the people of North Olmsted are served best when the administration, Council, Law Department, Finance Department, Police Department, Fire Department, Service Department and all other employees of the city work together. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Tom Herbster, 4965 Porter Road. ^ Part of the problem in North Olmsted is that different people see things in different ways. In his view, trust and integrity are very important. The city's unions are united and respectful of each other. They will take the high road to resolve problems. Their trust in each other is strong. Every group in the city except for one has felt the pain of reduction in work force-by attrition or layoffs. There seems to be a glass ceiling protecting a single group not yet affected and, in fact, receiving raises. Together we can make a difference seems to have some exceptions. ^ In August, his union proposed cuts to help save jobs and were told that the $700,000+ for this year was covered. The union members reiterated that they wanted to save more money this year to help avoid layoffs next year. When they finally did get to sit down and talk, they were provided with documents asking some union members to take a 25% cut. That would have caused them to lose their health care because they would have fallen below the minimum wage requirement. Although that provision was later removed, it is indicative of the tactics being used. Some city employees have been given raises and paid top salaries with little or no experience. Three out of the five original AFSCME layoffs were union officers-he does not find that to be a coincidence. The unions brought forward cost saving measures that would have saved thousands of dollars. City Hall calls a meeting and talks about saving pennies on boxes of paper clips. How serious are they? How serious do they take the unions? Unsigned memos are circulated and then labeled as bogus. They then find out that someone who says he has no knowledge of the memo not only found a typo in the letter, but had it retyped. Where is the trust? There have been eight different directors in eight months. The interview process has been called into question. Special pricing has been alleged at Springvale. Is his lack of trust justified? He thinks so. The cost reduction meetings held were only for show to try to fool Council and the public-smoke and mirrors. Fire fighters can handle the smokescreen; Police can smash the minors of illusion to find the truth; fellow Service employees will sweep up the shards of broken glass meant to divide them. They will overcome the chaos, and Police, Fire and Service will walk shoulder to shoulder, united, down a path which is in the best interest of the City of North Olmsted, its employees and its residents. Together they will make a difference. He is willing to sit down and talk about his perceptions and to listen to the perceptions of others, but hopes it is done in a fair and equitable manner where everybody is treated with equal respect. Dennis Lambert, 25057 Carey Lane ^ He believes the Service employees have bona. fide issues. Getting the facts and taking action are essential to good government. There are legislative ways to do things correctly. Realistically, a hearing should be done formally. The committee process and legislative power are available. In the past, he has asked for Charter 8 ..