Craig Mauger, Courier Times News Editor
The budget concerns facing the city of New Castle hit the fan on Thursday.
The city announced seven employees, including two police officers, would be laid off effective Dec. 31, sparking anger within the city's work force.
In addition, the city announced its parks will close during the winter months from Dec. 31 to March 31, and two groundskeepers from the parks department will be laid off during those months. Two other positions - public safety officer and code enforcement officer - will also be eliminated.
The layoffs include one cemetery groundskeeper, two street department positions, one transportation position, two police officers and one police department mechanic.
Although the city has identified which positions will be affected by the layoffs, it hasn't determined which employees will be laid off because of union provisions, a press release from the city said.
The announcement of the layoffs came in the afternoon. At 5:30 p.m., Mayor Jim Small met with about 60 city union employees in the United Auto Workers Hall.
Small told the employees who are members of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Local 1478 that the New Castle community is strong and "will emerge even stronger."
For longer than an hour, union employees fired complaints and questions at the mayor. Some suggested areas where cuts could have been made so layoffs wouldn't have had to happen.
"We're all very angry," one woman told the mayor. "I can't not show it."
She added, "As a mayor, you should stand up for us working people who put you in office."
Another city employee reiterated that sentiment, asking Small if he realized he was laying off the people who got him elected.
However, Small said his hands were tied because of property tax reform. He said because the state has lowered property taxes, the city has less revenue to work with.
Small has previously stated that the city has to eliminate $1.2 million from his 2009 budget. He has said city officials have already determined ways to eliminate $300,000 from the 2008 budget, leaving $900,000 left to be cut.
On Thursday, City Accountant Emily Cupp estimated that the layoffs would save the city about $363,000. That number includes salaries and health benefits.
Whit Blattner, president of the local AFSCME union, said he was frustrated on Thursday because he believes the city depends on AFSCME when cuts have to be made.
"We thought everything would be fair," Blattner said. "And cuts would be all across the board."
Blattner said the union was told the city would make across-the-board 10 percent cuts from every city department. For the recent layoffs, the city cut from AFSCME and the police department.
"Our cuts will affect an ordinary citizen more than anything else," Blattner said.
When Small was asked on Thursday if he believes the cuts would affect the services residents receive, Small said, "I don't know at this time. When you make cuts, something has to give somewhere."
Small said layoffs could not be made from the EMS department because a certain number of men is required for each ambulance. He added that the EMS department brings in money for the city because of emergency runs.
He said layoffs couldn't be made from the fire department because those layoffs would have affected the city's ability to keep its three fire stations open.
"We just can't scrimp when it comes to fire safety," Small said.
The union employees laid off will have the chance to rehire with the city when other positions become available.
The city had recently offered buyout packages for employees. Two employees took the city up on that offer.
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