06-14-2011, 04:31 PM
News from Hollywood PD and the way things are going we need to open our eyes and stop playing into the games at the PD especially if you've worked under Suarez, Chapman and others pathetic sargeants like them, because they have their own agenda.
The City Commission unanimously approves layoffs and salary cuts as it grapples with meeting a $10.3 million budget shortfall this year.
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By Daniela Abratt
dabratt@MiamiHerald.com
In its latest frenzied effort to close a $10.3 million budget gap, the city of Hollywood on Monday night laid off 31 employees.
The last day of work for the 13 police officers and 18 general employees will be June 24.
The layoffs came as a surprise.
Just days ago, the Broward Police Benevolent Association reluctantly agreed to pay cuts rather than have to face layoffs.
“It is apparent that this city has no faith in good faith collective bargaining,” said Dan Martinez, president of the Hollywood Fire Fighters union, which is also in negotiations with the city.
In addition to the layoffs, the City Commission unanimously approved across the board cuts for all employees: general workers will see their salaries cut 7.5 percent; police 10 percent; fire department 12.5 percent; and the commission members voted to cut their own pay by 10 percent. Nearly 1,300 employees will be affected.
“We tried to find a suitable combination of layoffs and pay cuts,” explained city spokeswoman Raelin Storey.
The city hand-delivered letters to all of the employees affected on Monday.
Officer Chris Campbell was off-duty at home when he received a phone call at 11 a.m. Growing up in Hollywood, Campbell said he always wanted to be a police officer with the city.
After serving in the department for one year, he is now unemployed.
“I was shocked,” he said. “It’s a slap in the face.”
But Campbell is trying to see the light in the situation.
“We have a great PBA, and I’m sure they’ll make things right,” he said.
Meredith Tisch, another officer who lost her job, is not so optimistic. She said she does not see anything changing in the near future.
“I loved my job,” she said with tears in her eyes.
Jeff Marano, senior vice president with the PBA, said the elimination of the jobs would cause a safety issue for the citizens and visitors to Hollywood.
“The department is budgeted for 331 officers, and we’re already down 30,” Marano wrote in a statement. “Losing any additional officers would be unsafe for the citizens of Hollywood and hazardous to the safety of the officers who remain.”
The layoffs and salary cuts come weeks after the city declared a fiscal emergency, opening the way for the city to renegotiate contracts with its unions.
In addition to the $10.3?million shortfall for the remaining months of this year’s budget, which ends Sept. 30, the city has a $25?million gap to fill for next year.
Mayor Peter Bober has been critical of the city’s budget office and suggested someone should get fired.
The city has moved $7?million out of its rainy day fund to tide it over for the rest of this fiscal year. In addition, it has cut $2.1 million from its current budget. About $2 million remains in the city’s rainy day fund for emergencies, such as dealing with a hurricane.
Some union representatives are suspicious of the timing of the announcement. Last week, the PBA sent a request to Tallahassee that the Bureau of Local Government look into how Hollywood’s budget office could have missed the shortfall until this late in the year. Some union representatives say the city was aware of the problem, but waited until now to be able to declare the state of emergency that allowed it to reopen negotiations with the unions. State law forces unions back to the bargaining table during a financial emergency, even if the contracts were newly inked.
At Monday’s meeting, Michael Braverman, attorney for the Police Benevolent Association, reiterated his plea that the city consider other options, such as using money earmarked for the downtown and beach Community Redevelopment Associations. Between the two CRAs, there is about $40 million. But some of that money has already been earmarked to build a new fire station on the beach and redo sidewalks.
“[Police officers] make tough decisions every day, and if you can’t do it, then step down,” he said to the commission members as the packed chambers cheered. “Those decisions must be made, but they cannot be made on the backs of these 13 people.”
However, Storey said state statute prohibits money appropriated for CRAs to be used in other ways.
Braverman said the PBA will file an unfair labor practice lawsuit against the city.
Previously, George Tucker, an attorney for AFSCME Local 2432, which represents general employees, had questioned whether city officials have looked into other cost-cutting measures before using employees as “their ATMs.’’
The City Commission unanimously approves layoffs and salary cuts as it grapples with meeting a $10.3 million budget shortfall this year.
Related Content
By Daniela Abratt
dabratt@MiamiHerald.com
In its latest frenzied effort to close a $10.3 million budget gap, the city of Hollywood on Monday night laid off 31 employees.
The last day of work for the 13 police officers and 18 general employees will be June 24.
The layoffs came as a surprise.
Just days ago, the Broward Police Benevolent Association reluctantly agreed to pay cuts rather than have to face layoffs.
“It is apparent that this city has no faith in good faith collective bargaining,” said Dan Martinez, president of the Hollywood Fire Fighters union, which is also in negotiations with the city.
In addition to the layoffs, the City Commission unanimously approved across the board cuts for all employees: general workers will see their salaries cut 7.5 percent; police 10 percent; fire department 12.5 percent; and the commission members voted to cut their own pay by 10 percent. Nearly 1,300 employees will be affected.
“We tried to find a suitable combination of layoffs and pay cuts,” explained city spokeswoman Raelin Storey.
The city hand-delivered letters to all of the employees affected on Monday.
Officer Chris Campbell was off-duty at home when he received a phone call at 11 a.m. Growing up in Hollywood, Campbell said he always wanted to be a police officer with the city.
After serving in the department for one year, he is now unemployed.
“I was shocked,” he said. “It’s a slap in the face.”
But Campbell is trying to see the light in the situation.
“We have a great PBA, and I’m sure they’ll make things right,” he said.
Meredith Tisch, another officer who lost her job, is not so optimistic. She said she does not see anything changing in the near future.
“I loved my job,” she said with tears in her eyes.
Jeff Marano, senior vice president with the PBA, said the elimination of the jobs would cause a safety issue for the citizens and visitors to Hollywood.
“The department is budgeted for 331 officers, and we’re already down 30,” Marano wrote in a statement. “Losing any additional officers would be unsafe for the citizens of Hollywood and hazardous to the safety of the officers who remain.”
The layoffs and salary cuts come weeks after the city declared a fiscal emergency, opening the way for the city to renegotiate contracts with its unions.
In addition to the $10.3?million shortfall for the remaining months of this year’s budget, which ends Sept. 30, the city has a $25?million gap to fill for next year.
Mayor Peter Bober has been critical of the city’s budget office and suggested someone should get fired.
The city has moved $7?million out of its rainy day fund to tide it over for the rest of this fiscal year. In addition, it has cut $2.1 million from its current budget. About $2 million remains in the city’s rainy day fund for emergencies, such as dealing with a hurricane.
Some union representatives are suspicious of the timing of the announcement. Last week, the PBA sent a request to Tallahassee that the Bureau of Local Government look into how Hollywood’s budget office could have missed the shortfall until this late in the year. Some union representatives say the city was aware of the problem, but waited until now to be able to declare the state of emergency that allowed it to reopen negotiations with the unions. State law forces unions back to the bargaining table during a financial emergency, even if the contracts were newly inked.
At Monday’s meeting, Michael Braverman, attorney for the Police Benevolent Association, reiterated his plea that the city consider other options, such as using money earmarked for the downtown and beach Community Redevelopment Associations. Between the two CRAs, there is about $40 million. But some of that money has already been earmarked to build a new fire station on the beach and redo sidewalks.
“[Police officers] make tough decisions every day, and if you can’t do it, then step down,” he said to the commission members as the packed chambers cheered. “Those decisions must be made, but they cannot be made on the backs of these 13 people.”
However, Storey said state statute prohibits money appropriated for CRAs to be used in other ways.
Braverman said the PBA will file an unfair labor practice lawsuit against the city.
Previously, George Tucker, an attorney for AFSCME Local 2432, which represents general employees, had questioned whether city officials have looked into other cost-cutting measures before using employees as “their ATMs.’’