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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > June > 13 > Entry
Dixon: More layoffs coming
County Commissioners said they will be tightening their belts in the coming months as the study into employee salaries — and as a result a pay and hiring freeze — continues.
Commissioners initiated the salary and hiring freeze last month, calling for Personnel Director Douglas Duckett to analyze how Butler County measures up with other counties when it comes to how it compensates its employees. (Read that story here.)
What they’ve found so far isn’t what they had hoped for.
“These salaries are out of line, and we had to take a time out” said Commissioner Donald Dixon, referring to the pay freeze. “And it’s not one (salary), it’s more than 10.” But the process is taking longer than expected, adding to commissioners’ frustration.
“I don’t think we’re any closer now than when we started this thing,” Dixon said. “I feel like we’ve got the same people looking at the same problems giving us the same answers.”
Duckett said other counties are responding slowly to public records requests, but he hopes to have the information gathering portion of the study complete in the next two to three weeks.
Then it will be up to county commissioners to digest the study and make their recommendations.
So the initial June deadline could become August. And in the interim, the pay and hiring freeze will continue, meaning non-bargaining unit employees will receive raises retroactively if they are entitled, Dixon said.
Meanwhile, union members have been receiving their raises according to contract. “By far and large, our county employees work hard and earn every penny they make,” Dixon said. “But our system has been abused. It takes advantage of our taxpayers and it has to stop.”
Shortly after the vote to freeze employee salaries, county commissioners approved cutting 22.5 positions in the Environmental Services Department. There could be more, Dixon said.
“We’re looking at all of our departments, but Environmental Services is not over. There will be more layoffs, but we hope to make them through attrition. If we can’t, there will be more layoffs,” he said.
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By null
June 17, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
Start with Mike Fox’s ridiculous salary. Let’s see…no previous experience in the field…no prior education in this area…yep, he’s making WAY too much!