By Aleasha Sandley, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer
aleasha.sandley@heraldbulletin
ANDERSON - Under deep budget cuts caused by a projected revenue shortfall in 2010, the Parks and Recreation Department likely will lay off 10 full-time workers and move seven others from full-time to part-time status, Mayor Kris Ockomon said.
Others in the department could be moved to a lower pay grade while having to take on the additional responsibilities of those who will be laid off.
The cuts were decided in an executive session Thursday between the Parks and Recreation Board and Ockomon, although no official action was taken by the board in the meeting. The executive session was called to "discuss before a determination individuals' statuses as employees and the job performance evaluations of individual employees," according to a public notice.
Parks Superintendent Fred Reese said the department had gone from $1.4 million in its payroll budget this year to a projected $636,400 for payroll in 2010, including both park general and non-reverting budgets.
Ockomon said some jobs were saved by moving workers from full-time to part-time. Those employees will work a 27-hour work week and continue to receive benefits.
"We're just trying any way we can to save the jobs," he said.
In the beginning of budget negotiations, Ockomon estimated the parks department would have to lose 15-18 full-time positions. After searching for extra money in city budgets, the current plan was decided.
Reese said a state statute dictates that the Parks Board has the ultimate decision on hiring and firing decisions.
"The mayor has the right to basically suggest or ask for consideration for approval of any suggestion that he may have," Reese said. "It ultimately falls to the board."
The parks department could look at cutting different areas of its budget, including programming or maintenance, and Ockomon was going to help the board decide what direction it should take, Reese said.
"There's a lot of directions, and I think he's here to help us find what direction we need to do in order to make the right decision," he said.
Ockomon said programming would remain a high priority for the parks department, but it might try to liquidate the least used of the 51 properties it oversees. Parks will remain in the north, south, east, west and central sections of town.
Parks department employees likely will move into new facilities in the coming months as well, as they are split between the Geater Center and the City Building, Ockomon said.
The mayor hopes to have the North Anderson Community Center, which now houses the department, emptied by summer and ultimately torn down.