Sunday, February 5th 2012
 

Latest Comments

RSS

Holly officials approve 09-10 budget without employee furloughs

Print
Written by Amy Mayhew
Wednesday, January 27 2010

HOLLY, Michigan – Village officials had a slightly different “ala carte menu” of proposed budget cuts to review Tuesday night as they prepared to make the necessary reductions to balance the fiscal year 09-10 budget.


During last week’s budget work session, council members’ ala carte menu of potential budget cut items included the possible elimination of fireworks, eliminating Nextel phones used by administrative staff, elimination of a seasonal Department of Public Works position, reductions in general fund transfers to account for Neighborhood Stabilization Fund reimbursements, changing over to an e-billing system for village office phone services, elimination of the employee appreciation program, and possibly reducing down to a four-day work week. Although severance of all eight items would save the village $26,831.60, council members still needed to find an additional $23,386 to balance the budget.


While Village Manager Marsha Powers presented council with salary options and total savings pertaining to one, two, three and five furlough days per employee, council eventually agreed to a five-day furlough plan for all village employees which would result in an additional savings of $36,505.70 to the budget.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Kevin Walters expressed his appreciation for the council’s ability to make these tough decisions, but also asked the members to possibly reconsider the option of going to a four-day work week.


“As far as the four, 10-hour days go, I don’t know if you’ve considered all of the consequences of that,” Walters said. “It’s going to create complications because for some people, they get 10 hours off for a holiday, and others in the village who work 8-hour days will only get 8 hours of holiday pay – how are you going to deal with that?”

Changes to the budget cuts included elimination of the $1,750 in utility savings from the village offices being closed on Fridays, and health insurance changes for village employees in lieu of implementing the five-day furlough plan.

Although Powers met with Teamsters representatives on Tuesday, she said the union group did not take a vote on going to the four-day work week, requiring her to remove the $1,750 amount associated with village office utilities cost savings from the bottom line.

Perhaps the biggest change was additional changes made to village employee health benefits instead of the mandatory five-day furlough plan.

Powers said negotiations made with the Teamsters and the police unions allowed her to change the Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy to a 20-percent deductible plan. “The savings will be taken from Feb. 1-June 30 at a cost of $34,269.05,” she said. Powers said the decision to forego the furlough idea came after she discussed the matter with Police Chief Rollie Gackstetter after the budget work session.

“The police department would have a rather difficult time in scheduling furlough time, especially with dispatchers – someone has to be seated in that seat for a 24-hour period, and we probably wouldn’t be able to accomplish that,” she said.

On Wednesday, Gackstetter said the need to act on the current budget shortfall at the work session did not accommodate full discussions between himself and Powers. “After the work session, the serious service impact of furlough days in the police department was thoroughly discussed, and I agree that the insurance alternative was a better solution at this time.”

Power said she and Clerk/Treasurer Susan Nassar had altered their budgets to make up for the $2,236 difference between the furlough and health insurance solutions, including elimination of business travel expenses, funding for employee appreciation and community betterment.

The Village Council passed the budget reductions unanimously. The cuts bring a total of $60,100.65 savings to the current fiscal year budget.


Comments  

 
0 #1 timmmy Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
why doesn't marsha powers do her part to help balance the budget by taking a pay cut? also, what is the cost for the head of the dpw to be supplied with a personal village truck that travels back and forth to fenton everyday?
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #2 Jason Hughes Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
Dayne, you are still missing the point. As an elected official your primary concern is to act in the RESIDENT'S BEST INTEREST.

Here is a simple question...

How is excluding concepts, ideas or thoughts from people outside the village serving the resident's best interest?

Here is the logical answer...

It isn't.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #3 dayne Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
if i decided to run for a seat on the village council, the only voices and opinions that would be pertinent to an election campaign would be the village residents who have the power to vote . if i was fortunate to win a seat,and i state here that seat belongs to the village residents,their voices and opinions are of primary importance because of their power to vote.it follows that a member of the council has a duty first to the village residents,and then to a lesser degree, business owners,employees and water and sewer rate payers. jason, i can tell you how high that tall fence is that divides the village from holly township, 15.5 mills + a ballot box.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #4 tom Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
I always enjoy Mr. Walters post, they are well thought out and he has some good ideas. I'm not sure why Sandy has such a dislike for him but I love the banter.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #5 Jason Hughes Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
Dayne, do you also believe that the best neighbors have tall fences? Excluding outside opinion from simply because of where someones residence is doesn't seem logical to me. I think if we want our community to grow and progress we should welcome outside opinions and ideas. Assuming that we have all the answers and can't use the help of 'outsiders' is ignorant.

The meetings are an open forum for people, regardless of their residence, to express opinions and ideas. To claim that members of the Holly community shouldn't voice their opinions simply because they live outside the village border is spiteful. Especially if they frequent the village and are employed by the village (or have family employed by the village or children in the public school system within the village or frequent the library which resides in the village, etc). There are strong ties between the communities despite the property lines.

The election process is what ultimately determines the result whether it is a council vote or a vote of the people.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #6 Janet Leslie Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
Dayne, public meetings are just that-- public. In fact there is a law, the Open Meetings Act, which prevents deliberating bodies from making their decisions behind closed doors amongst their cronies and without the watchful eye of the press and other interested parties. There is no need to be "let in." The Village Council is not a secret society, nor is the Township Board. All are welcome, and that is the way it ought to be.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #7 Jennifer Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
Katy and Jason are right on point here in regards to Negative remarks from Sandy, it does seem personal to the point where if Mr. Walters wanted to save a dollar or a job she would say "no way" I mean " NO WAY!! GET RID OF THE UNION " just because he had an idea and I dont get it ????
But GREAT! job to the council, I assume they had somebody help in these negotiations as they suggested in one of the past meetings.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #8 dayne Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
if and only if everyone is paying hollytownship taxes + village taxes will we all be in this together. the village should demand proof of residency,and in the case of a non-resident,prior approval from the village before being let in to the meetings.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #9 Jason Hughes Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
I am guessing Sandy still fails to see what vested interest Kevin has in the village (or the vested interest that all of our neighbors have)?

Maybe it is time to put down the pitchfork, extinguish the torches and work to make Holly's community appearance more welcoming?
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #10 Andy Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
Well said, Katy. Who really cares if Mr. Walters is a resident or not? Obviously he cares enough about his community to come out and offer some suggestions rather than criticisms. Maybe if more actual village residents would do the same, things would start to turn around for the better.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #11 Katy Hughes Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
Sandy - why does it matter so much to you that Kevin Walters is not a Village resident? Heââà ¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚¬Ã¢ „¢s brought up valid points at Village Council meetings and has been respectful in presenting his opinions. Has he personally wronged you in some way? In reading many of your comments, it seems as though you really have a problem with Mr. Walters specifically, not the ideas he has brought to the table. Why not try to settle the issues you seem to have with him in a civil manner, perhaps face-to-face over coffee instead of calling him out online through this open forum?

Most posters on the Holly Express are from the âââ €šÂ¬Ã†¦ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“greater Holly areaââ â €šÂ¬Ã‚; weââà ¢ €šÂ¬Ã¢ „¢re all in this together as neighbors and concerned citizens. Iââࢠ€šÂ¬Ã¢ „¢d like to see us work to collectively implement the changes we desire as a COMMUNITY (Village, Township, surrounding areasâà¢ÃƒÂ¢ €šÂ¬Ã‚¦) instead of personally bashing each other âââ €šÂ¬Ã¢ €œ the negative attitudes are stunting the progress I believe we are all seeking.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #12 Steve Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
Good job - it's amazing what can be done when you sharpen the pencil.
Report to administrator
 
 
0 #13 Sandy Sunday, February 05 2012 7:02am
Mr. Walters IS NOT A VILLAGE RESIDENT!!
Report to administrator
 

To comment on this article, please register for an account or log-in if you already have an account.

 



Front Page | Community | Sports and Outdoors | Opinion | Education | Holly Express | Site Map
©2012 The Holly Express.
Send feedback to Editor@theHollyExpress.com.
All rights reserved. This material may not be broadcast, published, rewritten or redistributed without prior written permission.