Sandra Emerson, Staff Writer
Created: 07/03/2012 09:51:27 PM PDT
UPLAND – The city’s Finance and Economic Development Committee has recommended that the City Council adopt the 2012-13 fiscal year budget, which includes layoffs in the Police Department and cuts to services.
“It’s sad that we’re at this point because we can’t get people to come to their senses and see the whole picture,” said Councilwoman Debbie Stone, a member of the committee.
“I understand everybody’s reason. It’s not easy. It’s not fun, but I hope that in the really, really near future that we can come to the table and we can come to some agreement so that we can quit laying off every time we turn around or lose services to the community.”
Council members on June 25 adopted a resolution to continue the current fiscal year’s funding until they could consider the proposed budget at next Monday’s meeting.
Adoption of the 2012-13 budget was postponed past the July 1 deadline in order to allow staffers more time to develop the proposed budget.
City Manager Stephen Dunn in May asked council members to give him direction on how to fill a $3.3 million budget gap.
The council agreed to borrow about $1 million in water funds to use toward legal costs and asked department heads to find $2.3 million in cuts.
However, the council gave employee groups until June 1 to agree to a salary freeze as well as either a 10 percent salary cut or pay the employee portion of their pension in order to avoid layoffs and cuts.
None of the city’s seven employee groups have agreed to the concessions, said Stephanie Mendenhall, the city’s administrative services director.
“There was an attempt by police and fire to accommodate that request, but, unfortunately, it was not without a request for extensions to contracts or longer contract terms,” Mendenhall said.
“There was another group that also concurred with the council’s action of having each department absorb its obligations. It was receptive to the idea of providing any concessions.”
The cuts include the elimination of 12 positions in the Police Department, which is expected to save the city $1.5 million.
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Even the liberal press can see just how absurd the compensation and benefits that the Upland city bargaining units currently have. I am sure that Ms. Emerson has done her homework and Googled “city of upland mou”.
I am sure that anyone that takes the time to read the Police contracts will want to know just where to get in line for their piece of that sweetheart deal. I wish my employer could not only pay me a high wage, but also pay for all of my retirement, health and life insurance, give me a 5% raise for doing a “good” job, another 5% for demonstrating loyalty to my employer or not taking sick leave when I am not really sick, paying me to get dressed to go to work, and to change when I get home, get 2.5 weeks of paid vacation after 1 year of service, and as many as 4.5 weeks, and accrue up to 16 weeks, get almost $900.00 per year to buy work clothes that I can then write off on my taxes, get paid 3 hours of overtime pay to show up to traffic court and 2.5 hours of overtime if I “might” get called to court, then collect 3 more hours for going. I am so cranky, I better stop now…
Hang on to your hats folks!
Upland Observer….I would encourage you or anyone to go to City Hall and complete an application for Police Officer for the City Of Upland. You will then have what you just mentioned. You talk the talk, but most don’t pass (about 98%) to become a Police Officer. Go on a ride a long and see what an Upland Officer really does during a shift…..Wait a minute….Upland just cut 6 Police Officer positions, so they are not hiring. So, I would recommend going to the City of Ontario where you would get better benefits than you just mentioned with paid medical after retirement for you and a spouse. You would also get to retire at 50 years of age with 90% of your pay. Not so in Upland. Officer’s hear people like yourself all the time. You’re unhappy in your job. I am sorry you pick the wrong profession.
blueheat:
You must be vary special.
Repairman….with almost 30 years of service to Upland…yes I do think that is special…and I had the opportunity to go elsewhere but didn’t. I care about Upland and it isn’t about the pay. It is about the people I serve and serve with, but I do want to be treated with respect and fairly.
Previews of coming attractions, in a city near you.