Budget cuts increase likelihood of sheriff's department layoffs

By Peter H. Milliken

YOUNGSTOWN — An “almost certain” $1.5 million reduction in the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department budget means layoffs are likely this year, Sheriff Randall A. Wellington says.

The sheriff gave that information to the union that represents his ranking officers, deputies and civilian employees.

Even with substantial concessions and modifications to the union contract, “The almost certain scenario that we must react to is that we do not have enough of a budget to keep everyone employed throughout this year,” the sheriff wrote in a Thursday letter to Chuck Wilson, Fraternal Order of Police staff representative.

On Friday, the sheriff said county Administrator George J. Tablack told him to expect the sheriff’s department budget to be reduced from $17.3 million last year to $15.8 million this year.

“There have to be some kind of cutbacks, and the cutbacks would be in personnel,” the sheriff said. He noted, however, that some savings will be derived from having only 26 paydays in 2010, compared with 27 in the 2009 calendar.

The county is now operating under a temporary budget while the commissioners and their staff work to prepare a permanent 2010 general-fund budget.

Neither Wilson, Tablack nor the county commissioners could be reached to comment late Friday afternoon.

The county is coping with recession- induced declines in major revenue streams, including the sales tax, real-estate tax, interest income and state funding.

Some 68 percent of the county’s general fund goes to judicial and law-enforcement functions, including the sheriff’s department, which operates the county jail.

Wellington said keeping the entire county jail open will be his top priority. Beyond that, he declined to discuss details of the forthcoming negotiations with the FOP.

The concessions made by the FOP members last year, including an unpaid day off every two weeks for each employee, won’t resolve this year’s projected budget shortfall, the sheriff wrote to Wilson. Those concessions are set to expire June 30.

As required by the union contract, the sheriff sent the layoff warning letter, which calls for an urgent meeting between the FOP’s leadership and the sheriff’s command staff to discuss the impact of layoffs and possible alternatives.

Under the contract, such a meeting must take place 24 days before layoff notices are issued, and employees being laid off must be notified by certified letter at least 14 days before the effect date of their furloughs. Layoffs must be in reverse order of seniority.

“Alternatives to layoff most likely will not be found. Nonetheless, my staff and I are willing to put forth our best efforts to attempt to find alternatives to laying off personnel,” the sheriff wrote.

milliken@vindy.com