GIRARD City lays off 23 workers, including some firefighters, cops

By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- Mayor James Melfi has sent layoff notices to 23 city workers, including 14 part-time firefighters.
"Obviously, I'm very upset about it," Melfi said today, noting his goal is to return them to the payroll so services can be provided to residents.
The layoffs are effective Friday with the furloughing of three full-time patrol officers, 14 part-time firefighters, four full-timers in the water department and one each in sewer and street departments.
City Auditor Sam Zirafi estimates the city will save $588,000, but not all the savings will be made to the general fund because employees in departments such as water are paid from other accounts.
Attrition: The layoffs are being made in addition to work-force reductions through attrition that have already occurred.
The layoffs come to the financially strapped city that has been under a state-imposed fiscal emergency since Aug. 8. It has not been able to make loan payments, and some departments are operating in the red.
"It's nothing more than dollars and cents," Melfi said today.
The city has to cut $869,000 from its 2002 budget.
Temporary budget: During a special city council meeting scheduled for Monday, lawmakers will consider a temporary three-month budget that must be passed by Dec. 31 so the city can pay bills, including meeting the payroll.
During the last council meeting, Melfi asked that $410,549 be cut from the municipal court's budget. The city administration cannot lay off court employees because they are under the jurisdiction of Judge Michael Bernard.
"It was a very hard decision," Melfi said of the furloughs. "These people have jobs to do."
During the last council meeting, city employees lobbied the administration and council to avoid layoffs in their departments.
Melfi said the employees don't deserve to lose their jobs, because they did nothing to get the city into debt.
At the same time, he asserted, he didn't want to decrease services -- especially with the eventual snow removal that will be required.
Defaulted on loan: Four employees were laid off at the water department because the city had defaulted on an Ohio Water Development Authority loan. The loan was for the purchase of Girard lakes.
Last month, Melfi made several cost-cutting recommendations to council. They include a wage freeze, placing a fire and police levy before voters, eliminating the uniform allowance and starting an amnesty program so residents with delinquent income taxes and water and sewer bills can pay without penalty.
He also recommended paying city workers a bonus if they don't require health insurance because they're covered by a spouse's insurance; and looking at possible ways to increase revenue in the police department.