It was a bittersweet day for Lake County government employees as they said goodbye to long-time colleagues retiring from their jobs and the 42 employees affected by layoffs.
The Lake County Council gave final approval to a deal that will save half of the police officers once pegged for layoffs. Two of the police officers will be funded out of the county's rainy day funds, and the other four will come out of the sheriff's commissary fund.
While six of the 12 police officers originally scheduled for layoffs were saved, the remainder will be without jobs but do have the possibility of being recalled through their county contracts.
Two of those officers attended Friday's meeting of the County Council.
Incoming Sheriff John Buncich said he's going to work now and immediately after he takes office to come up with a plan to get the six laid-off officers back on the force. He said funding the majority of the officers out of the jail's commissary proceeds is doable.
"I wouldn't make an agreement without knowing something is doable," Buncich said.
Lake County Police Local 72 President Dan Murchek said the union is debating whether to file suit against the state, disputing Lake County's tax levy freeze or joining onto a county effort.
County attorney John Dull said the lawsuit talked about at the Lake County Board of Commissioners meeting last month is on hold because the county wants to try to work with lawmakers in the upcoming Indiana General Assembly session.
County police made a series of concessions to save their fellow police officers, including increasing by 2 percent their contribution to the pension plan and cutting by half proficiency and speciality pay. The clothing allowance officers received was also reduced, in whole, from $216,250 to $190,475.
Lake County Council President Tom O'Donnell said the cuts were due to impacts the county has felt on its frozen levy and property tax caps.
"Nobody at all wants to eliminate one police officer's job," O'Donnell said.