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Administration returns $1 million in proposed cuts to Council

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by Jeff Saunders

Reporter

Macedonia -- In response to a request by Council, the city administration is proposing as much as $1 million in cuts to this year's proposed budget. They include:

* To attain a 10-percent reduction in this year's $2.69-million police department budget, the administration plan would cut four full-time police officers from the department's 23 full-time force, as well as all four part-time jailers and possible smaller cuts such as the department's membership in a regional SWAT team.

A 5-percent cut would mean the loss of one officer, the jailers and some smaller cuts.

* With a 10-percent in its $1.74-million budget, the fire department would have to reduce hours of its 16 part-time firefighters, resulting in all shifts going from five to four firefighters on shift.

A 5-percent cut would lead would lead to the same reduction on Monday to Friday shifts, as well as the lost of a part-time fire inspector.

* A 10-percent cut in the service department's $2.82-million budget would result in cuts of the full-time assistant service director an unspecified number of part-time employees, including custodians, a maintenance employee, a part-time administrator, and summer park maintenance staff.

A 5-percent cut would mean the loss of the summer park employees and impacts of both 5 and 10 percent cuts would include elimination of the senior snowplowing program next winter, the rubbish pickup subsidy for low-income seniors, and would severely limit park and facilities maintenance.

* A 5-percent cut in the Macedonia Family Recreation Center's $2 million budget would result in the Rec Center closing on weekends and eliminating part-time fitness attendants, whose job is primarily to monitor the second-floor and respond to emergencies, at night.

A 10-percent cut would also include eliminating an unspecified full-time employee and eliminating all fitness programs, leading to an unknown amount of additional lost revenue from membership and program fees.

* Cuts of 10- and 5-percent in the building department's $522,000 budget would primarily affect zoning enforcement since building inspections and planning reviews are self-sufficient through fees.

* Other possible cuts include up to $24,000 in the mayor's office budget, which could include reduced hours for the front desk staff and the mayor's court deputy clerk and eliminating $10,000 budgeted for labor negotiation legal counsel; and up to $7,500 for finance department contract services.