Thursday, August 27, 2009

40 Positions eliminated by county

"$113,054 in management raises shifted to sheriff's budget. While about 40 positions are being cut, only about 20 actual county employees will be laid off as of Jan. 1. The other reductions are from retirements or through attrition. The budget also included an early retirement incentive for 91 eligible employees. Only 30 to 45 employees, however; are expected to take it, said County Administrator, Patrick Urich.

Sharon Kennedy and Jeff Lickiss resisted the move to put the $113,054 in the sheriff's budget, with Kennedy stating "that she has yet to receive a call from one citizen in the unincorporated Peoria County who feels threatened or that they are afraid to leave their home because of a sparsely staffed Sheriff's Department". Kennedy also showed 2001 figures that actual calls worked out to be 3.24 per deputy per day. Kennedy also pointed out that her company AMT transports psychiatric patients for the sheriff at no no cost to the county.

Kennedy also said, "We should have more money going into reserves. It hasn't stopped raining, you know".

Written by Jennifer Davis, Reporter for the JS on 11/22/02 when the county was faced with a 2003 budget crisis. So far, despite the fact that the state is in the process or has done so, laid off 2600 employees. I know of no layoffs as yet in the public sector of Peoria County unless, as rumored some teachers at #150. An estimated 9,000 were fired or laid off so far in the private sector of Peoria County.

We will see how it works in this crisis, far worse than the one discussed above.

Andrew Rand from AMT has replaced Kennedy and brings a businessman's perspective to the board. Lickiss was replaced by a politician.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

For such a smart guy, you don't seem to pay attention. D150 closed two schools (Tyng and Irving) at the end of last year. They did so to cut staff. Some likely bumped teachers at other schools, but there is definitely less teachers this year than last year.

And didn't the city just talk about laying off like 17 people, including a bunch of cops?

Merle Widmer said...

Anony,

You "talk" like a "smart" guy yourself. The city "talked" about laying off police officers. They didn't and surely won't as this is one of the last places you would lay off. Another reason people are moving out of part of Peoria is they no longer feel parts of Peoria ARE NO LONGER SAFE.

Did #150 cut teachers or re-shuffle? And if they did, they would have cut those with LESS seniority, not some of those WITH seniority who should not be teaching.

I have seen no announcement of teachers actually being laid off. Do you have the numbers?

I stand by my blog statement until proven wrong which you did not prove.

Facts, please.

Anonymous said...

Merle,

I don't think the city has laid off anyone yet because they are in the middle of budgeting.

As for the school district, you are just being dense. They obviously have less teachers today than last year because they have TWO LESS SCHOOLS. That means they have at least two less principals. How else did they accomplish the savings they say they did. Now, did they come out and say they laid off 20 teachers? I guess not. But you not knowing how many people were laid off (or not hired back or retired, which has the same effect) is not proof or a fact. It is just your recollection.

Anonymous said...

Merle,

Saturday's paper says the City is considering 44 positions to be eliminated....