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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > July > 12 > Entry
Behind the scenes of Environmental Services
Now that county commissioners have committed to a 10 percent cut in water rates and a 15 percent cut in sewer rates by early next year, Environmental Services staff have been rushing to make budget cuts with as little pain as possible.
The first suggestion was a reorganization that included 22.5 layoffs (read about that here), but that was stalled when commissioners said the unions and the city of Hamilton both appeared ready to negotiate (read that one here).
The layoffs came on the heels of a temporary pay freeze spurred by Commissioner Donald Dixon, who said pay increases at the county are excessive. Go here for a story on that, as well as the role unions pay in these increases and a pay history for Environmental Services.
Then mergers emerged as possible savings tools. One was floated with Greater Cincinnati WaterWorks and a more recent one was proposed with Hamilton. (Read about those here).
Fast-forward to now. Morale is on eye level with groundwater in Environmental Services as their payroll fields threats from all directions. But they’re still hashing out ideas to cut costs, including absorbing general pay cuts to prevent layoffs.
Below, I’ve posted a copy of every e-mail from Environmental Services Director Sue Vance to her staff concerning the above-mentioned reorganizations. They include messages from staff to Vance where staff say they’ll take pay cuts or other measures to cut costs. But they worry they’re just saving money for whoever takes over after a merger.
What do you think? How should the county cut its costs to meet the promised rate cuts?
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Environmental Services
Comments
By fedup
July 13, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this
start at the top with the cuts,why mess with working men and women who need thier jobs ?By Ben
July 14, 2008 2:27 PM | Link to this
Freeze hiring all across county government. How can the commissioner layoff labor at Environmental Services, while they hire a new Technology Person for $100,000 plus and they allow the sheriff to add payroll everyday.