Boardman cuts $2.2M from 2008 budget

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

Trustees said the appropriation amount is less than expected.

BOARDMAN — Township trustees announced Sunday a new spending plan for 2008 with $2.28 million in budget reductions.

Trustees approved a list of appropriations for 2008 totalling $19.6 million in December of 2007. The new list totals $17.3 million.

The township recently laid off nine firefighters, 13 road department employees and seven civilian workers in the police department.

Trustee Robyn Gallitto said trustees had been crunching numbers for weeks and thought the new list of appropriations would be about $400,000 higher than the figures they ultimately approved.

“Originally we thought the projection would be higher, so this is really a good thing,” said Gallitto.

Trustee Kathy Miller asked Administrator Jason Loree why the appropriations for the fire department increased by $10,000. She said increased appropriations to the department did not make sense because nine firefighters have been laid off.

Loree said the budget increase to the fire department results from an increase in overtime.

A clause in the fire department contract requires a minimum of nine firefighters per shift, Loree said. If not enough firefighters are available, the difference is made up by calling people out on overtime.

“Since we have less employees, we have been dealing with more overtime issues. I believe last month we had over 300 overtime hours in the fire department,” he said. “That was more than what we planned because we used minimum manning over five times.”

The use of minimum manning was recently ended. Miller said the policy should have been kept in place until trustees had exact figures on overtime costs..

“How can you make that decision if you don’t have the figures?” she asked.

Loree said the policy was ended in accordance with the contract that states it can be done away with if it is used more than five times in a year.

“If the overtime is getting too high the employer has the right to end the practice,” he said.

In the end the township will have a $2 million carry-over going into 2009. Loree said those funds would not be available if the township had not taken the initiative to make cuts in personnel.

Bill Leicht, township fiscal officer, said the carry-over will be used to carry the township through the first part of 2009. He said township residents may see another request for a levy at a special election in August or definitely in November.

jgoodwin@vindy.com