8/12 COW and City Council meeting

[joe martin]

What does early retirement have to do with laying off by seniority???

EVERYTHING.  It's for the same damn reason!

Yeah I agree let the people with with 25-30years retire early, but not laying off by seniority is not legal. Don't you understand??

[joe martin]

One of the Mayor's first items was to get rid of wasteful spending.  For starters there were active phone lines in buildings, not all public being billed to the City, God only knows why.  Then the overpayment to the City of Chicago for water, got that back.  I'm sure you know the budget wasn't balanced in years, what the heck why balance a budget anyway. 

The way I see it, Berwyn was not serving its people in the best way possible.  It is very important to have a City that brings its residents together, neighborhoods that work.   If that means a National Night Out, Centennial Celebration, Farmers Market, HoubyFest type of events, money spent to operate and plan these events, I think yes administrative staff is necessary and for the good of the community.  Without community events neighborhoods dwindle away.

Ok, so I used BDC and MainStreet event, somewhat City but you get it. 
     

So terri what about all the unnecessary people the mayor hired. the past admin. never laid-off. I guess this is the way the mayor is getting back (but he said there won't be any political vendettas?)     

[Bear]

I guess bear has no comment?

Joe, you have apparently missed my point entirely. The layoffs in PWD were very wrong,
you don't get what I'm saying.

I forgot to mention the 250k per year that YOU the taxpayers hand to the OP housing
authority that #7 also has an issue with that is on the agenda.

OP must still be laughing at OC to give this kind of dough that funds that department entirely,
with plenty left over to cure THEIR deficit problems, with ZERO results shown to 60402.

Our excessive amounts of cheap apartments continue the deluge of undesirable tenants, the
agreement with OPHA has done NOTHING to alleviate this condition. It was basically a cash cow
given to the city of OP.

Thanks Berwyn!.

[Bonster]

How do you or #7 know what they've done?

Answer:  You don't.

Per #7:


Yet, he's willing to lay employees off with "purported" concessions (read: no proof)...

[joe martin]

How do you or #7 know what they've done?

Answer:  You don't.

Per #7:


Yet, he's willing to lay employees off with "purported" concessions (read: no proof)...

anytime an alderman wanted something done it was. Again bonster you haven't answered the question: would you want to be laid-off at your job?

[Bonster]

anytime an alderman wanted something done it was. Again bonster you haven't answered the question: would you want to be laid-off at your job?

I've been there, joe martin, I've been there.

And I don't care what an alderman wants done.  They work for us, not themselves.

[joe martin]

anytime an alderman wanted something done it was. Again bonster you haven't answered the question: would you want to be laid-off at your job?

I've been there, joe martin, I've been there.

And I don't care what an alderman wants done.  They work for us, not themselves.

from what I hear there was there was an abundance of work for all city workers and everything was getting done. any person involved in city goverment in any other area will tell you that laying off civil service should be a last resort not priority. That is taking away from the taxpayers.

[OakParkSpartan]

Terri, I am not privy to continuing union negotiation however I will
say that #7 brings up some viable points. Whacking a few "lowest
of the totem pole" PWD workers and others does little to address the
2 mil budget deficit, and is only a band-aid on the situation. that takes
needed services away from the taxpayer.

Where are real measures from the OC to address the situation? EVERYONE
should equally feel the pain. As mayor, OC should step up and take a 10% paycut
to show leadership. Appointees and dept. heads should share this burden thru
furloughs or pay cuts. Now we are talking some money. The ridiculous insurance
contract speaks volumes. Why does PWD have TWO appointed supervisors when the dept.
functioned admirably in the past with only one?

Floating more bonds as he did in the past, solves nothing, it just pushes
the problem into the corner.

I've heard ZERO serious discussions at council or cow on how to solve this financial crisis.  Hiring people back (and increasing expenses) is not the way to save money.  

As for insurance, OC brought in a consultant to attempt to save the city $250k within the last year.  Unions screamed, Loverro screamed.  Taxpayers were kept in the dark.

The cuts OC proposed were 1/8 (roughly) of the stated deficit.  I've not heard a thing from others (other than laying off all the department heads...which is just silly) as to what their SOLUTION is.  

PW...maybe you should go back and read the packet where the traffic engineer reviewed 16th Street.  It would seem things weren't functioning as well as some like to say.  

Does anyone really think this city cannot survive with a loss of 3% of its workforce?  That there is ZERO inefficiency?  Oh, let me guess, fire everyone OC hired.  Great analysis there folks.

[OakParkSpartan]

Does anyone have the figure per year as to what the savings would be if they did give up their insurance? I keep hearing this is good but what are the numbers?

It was stated at a MAC (Mayor's Advisory Committee) that the cost ranged from $700-1300 per month.  Figure an average of $1000 per employee.  We know Weiner and Skryd don't take the insurance.  That leaves $6000 per month for council (for group that is paid $5,000 for that same period of time ie. their insurance is more valuable than their wage...think about that).  $72,000 per year.

And don't feed me a line of crap that this is a 32 hour per week job either.  You think people here are stupid and will fall for such BS lines...we won't.

[joe martin]

so oakpark spartan it is better to keep all these bosses that don't do anything and leave city employees that provide more service to the taxpayers. what about PW guys when it snows. thats less guys plowing 

[OakParkSpartan]

I guess bear has no comment?

Joe, you have apparently missed my point entirely. The layoffs in PWD were very wrong,
you don't get what I'm saying.

I forgot to mention the 250k per year that YOU the taxpayers hand to the OP housing
authority that #7 also has an issue with that is on the agenda.

OP must still be laughing at OC to give this kind of dough that funds that department entirely,
with plenty left over to cure THEIR deficit problems, with ZERO results shown to 60402.

Our excessive amounts of cheap apartments continue the deluge of undesirable tenants, the
agreement with OPHA has done NOTHING to alleviate this condition. It was basically a cash cow
given to the city of OP.

Thanks Berwyn!.

This just goes to show out of touch you are with reality.

There was no contract with the Oak Park Housing Authority.  There IS a contract with the Oak Park Housing Center.  Two entirely different entities.  The OPHC has been in existence for over 30 years encouraging diversity.  They do not manage Section 8. 

The OPHC assist landlords in getting QUALITY tenants.  What does Berwyn lack?  QUALITY tenants.

The Oak Park Housing Center is not part of the Village of Oak Park.  No more than a Sokol is part of the City of Berwyn. 

[Bear]

"Oh, let me guess, fire everyone OC hired.  Great analysis there folks."

Not at all Brian, cuts must be made across the board to overcome the deficit,
where is the master plan?

[OakParkSpartan]

How do you or #7 know what they've done?

Answer:  You don't.

Per #7:


Yet, he's willing to lay employees off with "purported" concessions (read: no proof)...

anytime an alderman wanted something done it was. Again bonster you haven't answered the question: would you want to be laid-off at your job?

That's just it Joe.  No one WANTS to be laid off, but it happens in organizations.  The City of Berwyn cannot be run for the sole benefit of the employees.    Sorry that the real world is intruding upon Mayberry, but welcome to the 20th century.

[Bonster]

leave city employees that provide more service to the taxpayers.

Exactly what services are we missing now?  

[Bonster]

Not at all Brian, cuts must be made across the board to overcome the deficit,

That's not what #7 wants done.

[OakParkSpartan]

Not at all Brian, cuts must be made across the board to overcome the deficit,

That's not what #7 wants done.

No, he wants to increase spending to reduce a deficit...huh?

[joe martin]

I guess the private contractors doing the work of PW at 3 times what the workers get paid is great buddy.

[joe martin]

yeah oakpark s it happens in other places like maywood thats a good comparison for berwyn

[Bonster]

I guess the private contractors doing the work of PW at 3 times what the workers get paid is great buddy.

wrong. 
and contractors don't get holidays, sick pay, bennies, etc...   I know this for fact and work with it on a daily basis. 

[joe martin]

hey bonster i guess charging 60k for two months off branch pickups makes up for the hoildays? why don't we show the tax payers that bill.