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Deal struck to lessen layoffs in Youngstown
Photo
Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams
Officers taking the deal would get one year’s base salary paid in equal amounts over five years.
YOUNGSTOWN — City officials have reached an agreement in principle on an early-retirement buyout plan with a police union that could reduce the number of city workers losing their jobs.
The Youngstown Police Ranking Officers — which represents the department’s sergeants, detective sergeants, lieutenants and captains — and city council must approve the plan before it’s finalized, Mayor Jay Williams said.
Council is expected to vote on the deal at its Wednesday meeting, he said. The union’s membership is expected to vote on the proposal sometime next week, he said.
Officers taking the buyout would receive one year’s base salary paid in equal amounts over five years.
It’s the same offer accepted last year by 20 city firefighters that saved the city about $800,000 in 2008 and the same amount this year. Rookies replaced senior firefighters, making about half of what the retirees had earned.
“I give a lot of credit to” the ranking officers union, Williams said. “We share a common goal. We want to keep as many officers on the street.”
Detective Sgt. Charles Guzzy, president of the ranking officers union, couldn’t be reached Friday to comment.
Earlier this week, Guzzy said he supported the plan and was pleased it would reduce or eliminate the number of potential layoffs at the police department.
The city administration will begin discussions on the same buyout offer as early as next week with the union that represents police patrol officers, Williams said.
“That’s wonderful,” said Edward Colon, president of the Youngstown Police Association, which represents patrol officers. “We’ll wait for the meeting.”
If an agreement with YPA can be reached, it’s possible the city won’t lay off any of its employees this year, Williams said.
The city’s 2009 general fund budget included $860,000 in personnel cuts, including $655,000 from the police department.
That equates to up to 34 city workers, including 22 to 26 police officers, losing their jobs.
Williams said he didn’t know how many officers need to accept the deal for it to be enacted. But the number must be enough to generate real savings for the city, he said.
skolnick@vindy.com