11/19/2002 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 11/19/2002 ,,, lose their jobs. Police patrols are beefed up around the Mayor's house and Service Director's house, and some lose their jobs. Does anybody see a pattern here? We close down the entire golf course so there is no revenue. We use city fire hydrants to water the grass. We build a clubhouse while the sanitary sewer line keeps backing up and doesn't work properly. Poor management and bad decisions are a big part of the reason the city is in the shape they are right now. This administration needs to take the blame for this. Back when Mayor Petrigac was in office and times got tight, her administrative assistant resigned in order to save other jobs. We don't have that today. Why wasn't the deficit addressed earlier? Revenues were down and the administration waited until August to address the problems. Couldn't something have been done? Can anything be done to help slow down or reduce this deficit? Mrs. Copfer and the Mayor have stated that they feel by 2004 we should be out of this current poor financial situation. With interest rates as low as they aze, why doesn't the city explore taking out a loan to help keep some of their loyal employees? He is not suggesting that we borrow $2.1 million, but anything would help to keep the quality services that the North Olmsted residents have grown to expect. ^ Asked Law Director Dubelko is he was aware of a memorandum that came from the administration stating, "All media requests regarding the City of North Olmsted layoffs are to be referred to the Mayor." Is this legal? He was contacted by a member of the media, had he talked to him, what repercussions would have happened? Law Director said he was not aware of the memo. Mayor Musial asked who signed it. Mr. Herbster said it was not signed and there have been other unsigned memos coming out lately. Mayor Musial said it was a "bogus" memorandum. In answer to a question from Mrs. Kasler, Mr. Herbster said the memo had been posted at the WWTP and the Service Garage. Mrs. Kasler asked that the directors be polled to determine who wrote the memo. Safety Director Jesse came forward to look at the memo and said it was not part of his distribution. There were certain documents he prepared, and this was not one of them. Councilman Gareau asked if there was a city policy concerning employees speaking with third parties regarding layoffs. The Mayor said it was freedom of speech and suggested that Mr. Herbster refer the memorandum to the Police Department. Personnel & Administrative Director Farver came forward and said she had not seen the memo before and had no idea who authored it or how it was distributed. Service Director Creadon came forward and said she had never seen the memorandum and had not authorized it. It was not part of the package that was discussed. Janet Saringer, 23336 Stoneybrook Drive, said she felt a good example should be set and cuts should begin at the top. There is no reason why Council cannot repeal any ordinance and do some changing. Councilman Gazeau asked the Mayor for an update regarding the cost-cutting proposals made by the local unions. Mayor Musial said the union did present a couple of pages of proposals which have been addressed and returned to the unions. Some of them are very good and they will be implemented. Others require more review and some will have to 15 aaror+r n:,. . _ w•suws,ea,~i~._ :fnw,v:a,,.. ... ~-.