By LOHR McKINSTRY
Staff Writer
ELIZABETHTOWN — A plan offered by Essex County Manager Daniel Palmer would include six involuntary layoffs in addition to the 39 workers who say they want to take an early retirement incentive.
The job cuts would still have to be approved by the County Board of Supervisors.
JOB CUTS
Palmer recently told the County Deficit Reduction Subcommittee that along with eliminating three jobs at the County Fish Hatchery, he proposes cutting one position each from the Planning Department, Youth Bureau and County Fairgrounds staff.
"There are some positions that will be eliminated under reorganization. It is hard to accomplish these things without stepping on some toes," Palmer said.
LAYOFF SAVINGS
Supervisor Sharon Boisen (I-Essex) said she believed the early retirement plan was done to avoid layoffs.
"To have people laid off based on an early retirement plan, when they are not eligible for early retirement, I just have a hard time computing that."
Palmer said he was directed to come up with a plan to save money.
"If this board doesn't want me to lay off anybody, then just tell me that; that is all I need to know. If you are saying don't do any layoffs other than retirement incentive, all you guys have to do is vote and tell me that, and the plan can change."
The layoffs would save about $300,000 over three years, he said.
The cuts at the Fish Hatchery in Crown Point, which would close that facility, have previously been proposed by Palmer.
ELIMINATES 16 JOBS
The 2011 county budget potentially has a $7 million revenue shortfall that Palmer and supervisors have been trying to shore up.
The early retirements are projected to save $2.6 million in salaries, minus incentive costs of $623,000.
Many of those retiring would not be replaced or would be replaced by entry-level workers.
"I almost think there were, like, 27 position changes, 16 of which were eliminations under the retirement incentive, and the rest would have been calculated as promotions," Palmer said.
"In some of the departments, it actually requires a couple of promotions to get to the entry-level position for elimination."
CONSOLIDATION
Palmer said County Planner Victor Putman is one of those considering retirement.
"I have worked with (County Clerk Joseph Provoncha on) a consolidation of Youth Bureau and Planning to come up with a single department for that and hopefully provide some savings in that area."
Because the two departments would then share clerical staff, fewer employees would be needed.
HELP SOUGHT
Palmer said department heads met with County Personnel Officer Monica Feeley and himself after the retirements were listed.
"The first question we had for them was: Can you eliminate the position?" Palmer said. "If they honestly answered, 'No, we can't eliminate the position,' then we asked, 'What is your promotion plan? Once you have given that promotion plan to us, we are looking for the entry-level position to be eliminated.' So, ultimately, that is how it occurred with every department head."
He also asked them to reduce staff.
"I said to every department head, 'I am also looking for a voluntary reduction that you have.' Now when I say voluntary, I don't mean the employee themselves as voluntary; I am saying that they are willing to give up that position within their department.
"We got a couple of those, and that is all we got."
BOARD DECISION
Finance Committee Chairman Thomas Scozzafava (R-Moriah) said the decision on whether to have any layoffs will ultimately rest with the Board of Supervisors.
"Once he (Palmer) presents his tentative budget to this board, then it becomes our responsibility to make any changes that we may wish to make, and it will take a majority of the board."
E-mail Lohr McKinstry at: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com
