County faces $6M in cuts
Brad Dicken | The Chronicle-Telegram
ELYRIA — County commissioners on Thursday approved about $6 million in budget cuts for next year, a move that will likely leave more than 100 county workers — including some sheriff’s deputies — out of a job.
“We have to get to a balanced budget,” Commissioner Ted Kalo said. “It’s an ugly day in Lorain County.”
The cuts will be spread among county departments that receive funding from the county’s general fund, which will drop from about $62.1 million this year to about $56.3 million in 2009. Each of those departments will receive 20 percent less in next year’s salary and retirement accounts than they did this year.
The commissioners also said they will examine whether to try again for a 0.25 percentage point sales tax increase that voters shot down by a 4-to-1 margin in 2007 and would have raised about $7.4 million annually for county government.
Same need, fewer deputies
| BUDGET WOES County general fund budget 2008: $62,156,935 (actual) 2009: $56,298,204 (estimate) |
| Partial list of cuts |
| Department 2008 budget 2009 budget Cut |
| Sheriff $6,346,468 $5,228,489 $1,117,979 |
| Commissioners $1,720,113 $1,449,860 $270,253 |
| Auditor $2,112,849 $1,799,446 $313,403 |
| Treasurer $511,111 $440,445 $70,666 |
| Prosecutor $4,351,186 $3,698,280 $652,906 |
| Common Pleas $3,955,420 $3,420,030 $535,390 |
| Domestic Relations $8,429,163 $7,164,428 $1,264,735 |
| Probate Court $636,573 $524,891 $111,682 |
| Clerk of Courts $1,384,187 $1,147,379 $236,808 |
| Coroner $493,305 $438,327 $54,978 |
| Board of Elections $2,353,707 $2,086,658 $267,049 |
| Recorder $763,382 $629,854 $133,528 |
| Source: Lorain County Budget Department |
Sheriff Phil Stammitti will see his budget slashed from about $6.3 million this year to $5.2 million in 2009.
“That’s a pretty big hit,” he said.
Stammitti said that while he hasn’t had time to crunch the numbers for the $1.1 million cut, he doesn’t see any way around layoffs, including road deputies who patrol the county’s townships.
“It’s going to be a skeleton crew out there,” he said.
Dave Noll, who represents the Lorain County Deputies Association, said that if Stammitti were to apply a 20 percent cut across all of his departments, that would mean a loss of more than 10 road deputies. A cut that drastic, he said, would “cripple” efforts to keep residents safe.
“That would be a significant cut to the public as far as protection,” he said.
Sheriff’s Capt. John Reiber said 28 of the 55 current deputies are assigned to the road patrol division, with the rest working security at the Lorain County Justice Center, serving warrants and other duties.
Noll said the number of deputies on the road at any given time could shrink from three or four to two. Stammitti said layoffs would mean deputies would have to prioritize calls.
Commissioner Lori Kokoski said she hated to make the sheriff cuts, but there was little choice. She held out hope that any extra money could be used to reduce the cuts Stammitti and others will be forced to make. Although the budget numbers the commissioners are talking about account for all of 2009, the budget they passed Thursday technically only goes through March, which leaves some wiggle room.
“A budget is a living document,” Kokoski said.
The cuts facing the deputies don’t include the approximately $4 million that the county gave Stammitti to supplement operations at the county jail this year, which also receives about $7 million from sales taxes to cover its approximately $11 million annual budget.
Stammitti said he isn’t certain what cuts his department would make.
Cut to the bone
Other county officials said that while they haven’t seen what their 2009 budgets look like, staff cuts may also be in their future.
County Treasurer Dan Talarek said the cut to his department, which amounts to about $70,000, could mean he’ll have to lay off two of his 12 employees.
Although Talarek said he didn’t know what the cuts were going to be, he was expecting them.
“Everybody wanted the county to be cut to the bones, didn’t they? Obviously that’s what’s happened,” he said.
The county simply has less revenue, Talarek said. For instance, in 2007, the county made about $8.3 million in interest on investments. This year, that number will likely shrink to $5.6 million, and by next year, Talarek estimates it will be closer to $3 million.
County Budget Director Lisa Hobart said of the $56.3 million available in the general fund next year, approximately $8.5 million will be carried over from this year.
The county brought about $14.8 million forward from 2007 into 2008.
County Administrator Jim Cordes predicted that there would be no carryover when the end of 2009 arrives. He also said more cuts may be needed.
Cordes said the commissioners aren’t immune to the hit and will lay off 17 employees who work for them. He said the commissioners have been doing what they can to trim costs, including not filling about 10 vacancies created by employees who have left.
Chief Deputy County Auditor Craig Snodgrass said his office has done the same, but layoffs will likely still be needed.
“I don’t think attrition itself is going to do it this time,” he said.
He also said the auditor’s office is looking for other ways to save money, including putting pay stubs online, a move that could save $50,000 a year.
“That’s a person’s job,” he said.
Sales tax increase
Commissioner Betty Blair said with dwindling revenue there’s simply no way the county can avoid cuts.
“You cut expenditures or raise revenue,” she said. “I’ve said from the beginning it needs to be a combination of both.”
The last time the county made such drastic cuts was in the 1990s, and Blair said back then, there were layoffs, four-day work weeks and other measures designed to keep the county in business. Only a sales tax increase saved the county from going under, she said.
All three commissioners said that may be the only solution this time around, as well.
But county Clerk of Courts Ron Nabakowski and others say the last levy attempt may have soured the public on the idea of supporting such an increase. In 2007, the county was sitting on a large carryover and didn’t need all of the $7.4 million to offset the loss of $3.5 million in state money a year earlier. The commissioners also couldn’t initially agree on what the extra money would be used for.
“Now they’ve got a very cynical public,” said Nabakowski, who also believes layoffs will be necessary in his office. “It’s needed now. Before it was kind of crying ‘wolf.’ ”
Cordes said with the last sales tax increase try, the commissioners were trying to get out in front of a problem that’s been brewing for years.
Things could get even worse, he said, if the county’s judges decide to order the commissioners not to cut their budgets, a power they have.
Domestic Relations Judge David Basinski said he and his fellow Domestic Relations judges haven’t discussed that option, but they also haven’t seen their trimmed budget yet.
Bad time
Not all of the county’s approximately 2,400 employees need to worry about losing their jobs as the Christmas holiday approaches. Only about 700 employees are actually paid from the county’s general fund, Snodgrass said.
He said the rest are paid from other funds, including money from grants and levies, although there is always the possibility that employees may find themselves shifting as the various departments grapple with the changes wrought by the cuts.
Cordes said he hopes that layoff notices can be given to employees by Dec. 19, which would mean their last day on the job would be Jan. 2. The county is self-insured for unemployment, which means that it makes better financial sense for the layoffs to begin this year rather than run into next year’s budget, he said.
It’s also better for employees to know they’re not going to have a job next year so they can begin preparing for it financially, Cordes said.
“I don’t want them going out and buying a 52-inch plasma screen,” he said.
Contact Brad Dicken at 329-7147 or bdicken@chroniclet.com.
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Filed by Brad Dicken | The Chronicle-Telegram December 5th, 2008 in BREAKING, Top Stories. Popularity: 4% |
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Comments
Comment from
DEBBCOON
December 5, 2008, 7:32 am
The road patrol is the only protection most people in the townships have period. I ask the commissioners to cut this dept last, and make the others hold up to their 20%; two employees from one dept isn’t anything compared to cutting 10-12 deputies.
I would like public hearings before any cuts in the Sheriffs road patrol is done. If needed, I will start a petition drive to make this happen. The citizens of the townships deserve to have the same quality of protection as the rest of the county.
Debb Coon
Lagrange
Comment from
Mr. Rush
December 5, 2008, 7:44 am
This has been a long time coming. The sheriff’s dept is bloated. Too many deputies stand around doing nothing. when they have to make it look good, they arrest honest citizens and make up charges on the fly. If you look at the numbers, you’ll see the sheriff dept. has a much higher % of funds than it needs. Other Countys have been laying off sheriff deputies for years, it’s about time Lorain County caught up.
Comment from
JackDickey
December 5, 2008, 9:07 am
Wow, cutting the little people is terrible; those people work on the lowest salaries and benefit the community the most by doing the most public service work.
The top dogs should be ashamed of themselves, Commissioners pass an order that no public employee with Lorain County make a salary over $50,000 annually. Its ridiculous that were considering cutting peoples jobs in this economy, when people are pulling in exorbitant salaries in the upper echelons of Lorain County public service.
We all as a community will suffer and those cutting the footsoldier staff should stay awake at night with their big public checks hidden under their pillows.
Comment from
Haxor
December 5, 2008, 9:43 am
You can bet that the sheriffs dept wont be able to patrol the townships , but I also bet you that this summer they will be out in there New Boat patrolling Lake Erie playing Miami Vice.
Comment from
rpleban
December 5, 2008, 12:10 pm
Wow how sad!! Here is my view on this. Dumping the employees who make the least amount of salary and dumping the protection for the townships and then have the nerve to talk about a sales tax increase is the acts of Cordes and the Commissioners at their finest!!! Why don’t they consider cutting Cordes’s salary? His wife has health coverage with her job (auto worker by the way), so he can afford to take a cut in pay. And what about Twinning? Is he really needed in that newly created job as Cordes’s assistant? The Commissioners not only each have a private secretary, but they have an administrator (Cordes) who also has a private secretary and now Cordes has an assistant which is Twinning, which by the way holds his degree in Landscaping. In the eyes of Lorain County Leaders, that qualifies him for a high profile job and a very nice salary in our county government and then replacing his previous position with a felon. . . Are they going to do all these lay offs so down the road they hire an assistant to Twining? When does it stop? Look at the pay rates and backgrounds of a few specific directors. Check out their qualifications. Look at these specific directors association within the commissioners. A good example is Dan Billman, director of Solid Waste. When election time is here…it would not be uncommon to see Billman running around the mall area putting up political signs for his bosses during working hours. What about the maintenance director. What are his qualifications? Is it possible that the maintenance director, Cordes and Kalo are drinking buddies? The IT director Ernie Smith replaced a disabled woman who had more qualifications then he does and now Lorain County had to create another 3 jobs to support this lack of qualifications the IT director needs.
The economy has been failing for several years now and even while it was failing, Cordes and the commissioners recognized their budge growing and the revenues shrinking, they still spent a gigantic amount of money decorating their offices and installing TV’s for each of the commissioners and bought a stainless steel refrigerator for their office. The stupid spending from Cordes and the Commissioners goes on and on. The wasteful spending is mainly in the commissioner’s office, director heads and the administrator. Not the lower paid employees. But what the heck… Cordes and Kalo are out to bust the unions and they are succeeding. Now they are going to lay off these employees knowing that the taxes the employees pay to the county will further reduce the county revenue. They would rather do this then to cut back in their remodeling and their excessive personnel in the commissioner’s office. When is the Lorain County Residents going to wake up and Quit voting the same people in office.
Comment from
KenB
December 5, 2008, 12:33 pm
Well folks look at it this way. There is a new parking lot owned by the County on 2nd street to park in when you go to file Bankruptcy, or if you are drug into court when your house is foreclosed. There is another option if you choose to take the Greyhound Bus out of town there will be a new LCT Hub in the Old Train Station.
Oh! Forgot about the new blue sign at the Airport, you know the one that has the Commissioners names on it. There isn’t any Company Names on the sign, so if there aren’t any Companies doing business at the Airport then the Commissioners wont need to fix the problems that they now say is need of fixing at the Airport.
Now as far as the Commissioners cutting back on Deputies, what else is new? As far as the Deputies and the Jail there has been a problem with funding since the mid 90’s and it hasn’t changed a bit. Thank President elect Obama for returning the same old rubber stamp’s into office again.
Ken Behner aka dirtdigger
Comment from
Nita Brake
December 5, 2008, 12:36 pm
As I scroll down the published list, I wonder:
Why in the world does the Board of Elections have such
a large annual budget?
What does this entity do in the off-season?
Comment from
Big T
December 5, 2008, 12:36 pm
Haxor,
Most of that money comes from federal grants. They have to spend it on specific things such as patrolling the waterways.
Think of the money being put into the local businesses by operating boats. They require fuel, docking, maintenance, repair, and a crew.
Comment from
Big T
December 5, 2008, 12:40 pm
Mr. Rush
You sound like you have been a resident a time or three at county. I’m sure I’ve seen you baby’s momma in there at least once while i was waiting for my applications to be completed.
Comment from
rpleban
December 5, 2008, 1:36 pm
Nita, what list are you talking about. Can you please share your source for this list. I think it would be interesting to see and perhaps I will put it up on my wife’s website for all to see. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.
Comment from
JAWBONE
December 5, 2008, 1:42 pm
how can you keep from voting the same people into office when neither party can find anyone to run against them? so even if you don’t vote for that person, they get in simple because they are the only ones running for that spot.
Can’t remember exactly, but how many people in the last election had no one opposing them? At least 4 or 5 to my recollection.
What we need is better party leadership (both parties - if there is such a thing as “better party leadership’). I’m pretty old, and in Elyria and Lorain county it’s the same names running things that have been running things for the last 40-50 years. Talk about nepotism! We need CHANGE in the worst way. Obama ran successfully (and I never thought I’d see an African-American president in my lifetime). If the country is ready for CHANGE, can’t Lorain county, Elyria do something NEW !!??
Comment from
KenB
December 5, 2008, 1:42 pm
Folks have you noticed all this doom and gloom news about the Counties money wows has come out just a little over 30 days. Gee the Election was just last month the 3rd of November. Now I would venture to say the Commissioners knew it when they ran for reelection, held back the news until after the Election. Does anyone know if Kalo and Kokoski could be recalled on those grounds alone?
Ken Behner aka dirtdigger
Comment from
maxwellsilverhand
December 5, 2008, 2:41 pm
mr rushh
One day youmight lose your job and I hope to meet you and laugh in your face. You are an inconsiderate @$$!
You have no clue what goes on so I think you should shut your pie hole before someone does. People like you are a waste in my book. All you probably do is think of yourself. One day you are going to need a sherriff and you know what? they won’t be there.
Comment from
maxwellsilverhand
December 5, 2008, 2:44 pm
Hey Cordes can I have the plasma in the commisioneers offices and the ones on 4th and 5th floor? Let’s see, There is about 7 or 8 thousand dollars if not mor. Another thing.. shut off the cable tv in your office.
Comment from
DEBBCOON
December 5, 2008, 7:53 pm
rpleben,
I like your comments…and I agree with you 100%. I know alot about what your talking about..but there are somethings I think you need to bend an ear to the Sheriffs Office..I’m sure they would be more then happy to listen, and investigate.
Better yet, I’m quite sure they are reading these posts..
I’d love to know how many times Kokoski has voted for anything that has to do with The Engineers Office..since she is engaged to someone from there..???
Billman, and company are there to get a check; they don’t know their behinds from a hole in the ground..I heard he still has ownership in a auto place..not sure if thats true or not?
Anyone care to add? or shed some light?
Comment from
Nita Brake
December 5, 2008, 8:52 pm
repleban,
The list I was referring to was part of the artcle at the top of this web page. It compares the 08/09 budgets for the major
county departments.
It’s the type of list that makes you go hmmmm.
Comment from
JZ
December 5, 2008, 9:33 pm
Just because Miss Kokoski is engaged to someone at the County Engineers doesn,t mean she cant vote conscientously for the citizens benefit. There have been times when she has abstained if it would directly affect her fiancee’s situation/position. That shows intregrity on her part. Look, the problems are way bigger than a couple of tv sets okay. The state legislature passed these silly child support laws making non-support a felony and these are cases which clog the justice system unnecessarily. Not condoning not paying child support but felonizing it just creates more bureucracy which costs time and money with very little payoff. Except, politicians can look good passing “feel good ” laws. I know it sound radical but the Drug War also creates so much crime and therefore costs megabucks which clog our justice system. This is a long conversation and debatable but a few plumb jobs here and there which I have no personal knowledge of is the tip of the iceburg. We need major changes coming from state legislatures to repeal some of these laws which clog our justice systems throughout the country. But, if you bring up ending drug prohibition ala Ron Paul, Walter Cronkite, Alexander Haig, William F. Buckley and me, spineless politicians will demonize you. These are 2 examples of why government costs too much. Road deputies should not lose any jobs, that would be bad for citizens in the outer areas and unfair to them.
Comment from
rpleban
December 5, 2008, 11:35 pm
Debcoon, the sheriffs and prosecutor are aware of what I was talking about. My wife had deposition videos of the commissioners and Ernie Smith on her website for the past couple years People from all over contacted her after watching Smiths video and can not believe the guy still worked at the county. But somehow he hangs in there. As far as Billman goes, my wife use to talk about how he was a big suck up to whoever he thought would win the election. Hmmm and it paid off didn’t it?
JZ , Kokoski is just a lame duck in that office. She wants to do right, but is outvoted by blair and kalo. She really should suck up to Cordes to try to get things her way. Your so right about the over crowding in the jails and how legislation changing laws and making felons on domestic issues. It’s ridiculous. Child support is very important and I don’t condone it, but turning them into felons is like you said a waste of tax payer’s money.
Comment from
DEBBCOON
December 6, 2008, 12:48 am
When I look over the cuts being made, I do believe there needs to be more out of the commissioners office. Lets talk about one mainly:
The Project Manager Position; we don’t have any new construction going on for the time being, and if we do we need to hire someone way more qualified then the one who is in there now. She has a paralegal certificate and her loyalty to Blair. With that said …
Cordes its so nice how he was able to insure his income for life…he wrote his own employment contract. You can’t go to Hollywood and get a better one..not with what he does..I forgot he runs the commissioners office..he thinks he is the commissioner. I’ll tell you one thing when Virgil Muntean was Admin. he certainly didn’t do the things Cordes does…and why did we hire Cordes back after all he is a convicted drunk driver…here goes..another one..
This really upsets me to no end, and I hope that I’m not the only one…
rpleben; I know exactly who you are, and I know exactly what your talking about. I hope you and your wife have a wonderful Christmas..
I will be doing a public records request..if there is anything anybody would like to findout; please feel free to post it..
I’ve been around this block, many, many times before.
As far as Ms. Kokoski refraining from voting; thats awful nice of her..but I do believe the word for her to do is: not vote at all when it comes to the engineers office. Either way he directly benefits from all of it, and so does she.>:D
Comment from
Mr. Rush
December 6, 2008, 9:06 am
Maxwellsilverhand, you must be a current deputy, or at least close to one. Everything you said about me was wrong, but it doesn’t take too much intelligence or courage to type threats from a remote keyboard. You’re an idiot, so who cares about your book. Just stay behind your keyboard and type your big words in hiding. Oh yea, anytime you feel froggy baby, jump.
Comment from
maerd
December 6, 2008, 9:43 am
I have had dealings with The Sheriffs Dept throughout the years all on the good side except 1 incident as a teenager involving underage consumption and even then I have always found them to be professional and helpful.
Comment from
rpleban
December 6, 2008, 12:27 pm
Deb, can you please email me. ron@pleban.org I think I know you also.
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