Five Ironton Police Department officers are still awaiting the outcome of the final revisions to the 2000 city operating budget – and an answer to the question of their employment.

Thursday, February 24, 2000

Five Ironton Police Department officers are still awaiting the outcome of the final revisions to the 2000 city operating budget – and an answer to the question of their employment.

Wednesday, Ironton City Council members debated the proposed layoffs for more than 30 minutes in executive session in a two-and-a-half hour budget workshop.

The meeting ended with no consensus among the seven council members, despite the fact that the officers are scheduled to be laid off by Tuesday.

But, following a pledge to officers and community members that council will continue studying the budget in an attempt to find a way to keep the officers on the force, council agreed to keep looking for a budgetary solution.

"We have a budget that for the most part, utilizes nearly all of the $600,000 carryover of the general fund," council chairman Jim Tordiff said to open the meeting. "It’s a budget that calls for the cutback of five police officers that have primarily been funded with grant money until now."

Tordiff told council members he hopes to find funding to keep at least two of the officers through about $80,000 in budget cuts, including cutting office supplies expenses by 10 percent and slicing the budgeted salary for an industrial recruiter in half. The proposed salary is $87,500.

Other council members, such as Joe Black, are still in support of a safety fee, which would average about $3 per month and help the city keep about two of the officers also.

Black said the safety fee is only about 10 cents per day and is a small price to pay for quality police services.

Regardless of what is decided, Tordiff, who serves as vice mayor and chairman of city council’s finance committee, said that decision needs to be reached soon.

"In my opinion, it would be disastrous to let it go to the third meeting," he said. "It would be too close to the end of March, which is when the Ohio Revised Code mandates the budget must be in place."

The proposed layoffs are a direct result of recent plant closures, including Cabletron Systems Inc., Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal), Ashland Inc. and, most recently, Intermet-Ironton Iron.

If the budget cannot be adjusted, the officers, Tony Forrest, Pam Neil, Joe Ross, Jason Carter and Shawn Rollins, will receive a minimum of 26 weeks of unemployment and full benefits, as well as any sick days, compensatory days and vacation time or personal days they may have accrued, Ironton Mayor Bob Cleary said.

City council will continue looking at budgetary options tonight at their regular council meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Ironton City Center.