Some readers may recall the July discussion on whether Urban Enterprise Zone funds should be used to pay the salaries of those who administer the program locally. Now that the state has essentially shut down the program and turned remaining funds back to the cities involved, Councilman Adrian Mapp and others objected to use of $92,000 for administrative salaries. (See post here.) Public Works Director Eric Jackson reminded the council in July that eliminating that funding would lead to the layoffs of the two individuals employed in the Office of Economic Development.
At the Aug. 12 agenda-fixing session, Plainfield Municipal Employees Association President Cynthia Smith asked the council to reconsider the proposal, noting the city will only save a couple of months' worth of salaries by laying off the employees. She said the city was about to go through a change of administrations and would lose people with institutional knowledge in the layoffs.
"You may do yourselves a disservice," Smith said.
Smith said previous layoffs had taken place as part of the budget process, but this time the budget has already been approved. She cautioned that due to "bumping rights" the cuts may not fall where expected.
According to state statutes, employees must receive 45 days' notice of a layoff and then may "bump" a provisional or less senior employee, among other options to remain employed.
Monday's agenda includes a resolution for submission of a layoff plan to the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. Given the requirements for notice and provision for appeals, the net savings for the 2013 calendar year will most likely be minimal.
Besides the issue of using UEZ funds for salaries, Mapp and others have expressed dissatisfaction with the office affected. As noted in the link above, Mapp asked in May 2012 for an accounting of all pending UEZ projects. The council only recently received a spreadsheet of figures with no narrative on specific projects.
Plaintalker called for an analysis of the local UEZ program when the state report came out in 2011. Whether the staff goes or stays, the program still needs a comprehensive analysis in plain English, or the next administration will be flying blind in use of the remaining UEZ funds.
--Bernice
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Why do people think so narrowly. It is not only salaries for the end of the year - it is salary, pension, benefits - which adds up to bucks.
ReplyDeleteBesides, if people don't do their jobs, they should be gone. We have 20 years of "economic development". Really? It appears to me that someone is not doing their job.