Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 30 comments Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
Will city match union to fund police dept.?
Council to vote on measure Mon.
Published Saturday, February 6, 2010
The Albert Lea City Council will vote Monday whether to transfer $35,000 from the city’s contingencies fund to the police department budget to match the concessions made by the police union to prevent one officer from being laid off.
City Manager Victoria Simonsen said if approved the transfer would be made from the contingencies budget at first — instead of the police and fire pension funds — in case there’s a chance that the police budget will be able to absorb the difference in cost. (In 2009, the Police Department came in under budget.)
If not, then at the end of the year, funds would ultimately be transferred from the police and fire pension fund back to the contingencies budget, she said.
The council’s decision comes after the police unit of the Teamsters Local 320 union has agreed on multiple concessions to come up with half of the $70,000 needed to save the position.
Specifically, there are the following concessions:
• Patrol officers and detectives will either take four hours of unpaid leave during each of the four quarters of the year, or donate four hours of holiday time accrual during the last accrual period of each quarter.
This equals out to 16 hours of unpaid leave or leave hours that will be given back to the city for each employee.
• Hourly employees will agree to temporarily suspend holiday premium pay, which gives time and a half pay, and instead get straight pay for each paid holiday worked.
• Patrol officers will reduce their semi-annual uniform allowance from $350 to $100.
These concessions alone equal about $29,000, Simonsen said.
Then, dispatchers will be able to choose whether they would like to participate, and the police lieutenants and the police chief have offered to make up for the rest to reach $35,000, she said.
If the $35,000 figure is reached during the year, the concessions will end. Otherwise, the concessions will be null and void on Dec. 31, according to the agreement.
“They feel that they heard individually from you that this is something you would support,” Simonsen said. “That’s why they asked us to enter into this with them.”
She said ultimately the agreement would postpone a layoff for at least one year, but by that time a new budget would be in place.
Fourth Ward Councilor Reid Olson asked what the city would be paying in unemployment costs if there was a layoff.
Simonsen said it would equal out to about $24,000 or $25,000.
She pointed out that many people are not aware that the city’s firefighters also lost a full position during budget cuts. If the transfer of funds is approved Monday, there’s a possibility the firefighters will come back before the council and ask for a similar arrangement.
Firefighters are also taking on the duties of janitorial staff in City Hall to save costs.
The officer position has been in limbo for several months after the council had to cut more than $1 million from its 2010 budget and the Police Department could not find grant funding to save the position.
On Monday the council will also:
• Vote on a request from the owners of the Knights Inn, formerly the Midwestern Hotel, to relieve the back taxes, penalties and interest attached to the property.
The owners have plans for the renovation and employment of more than 30 people at the establishment.
• Have the second reading of an amendment to Chapter 22, Article 7 of the city code that deals with spas, saunas, massage and bodywork.
A task force was put together and meetings were held with local massage therapists to come up with the new draft of the ordinance.
The ordinance states that a person practicing this line of work must obtain a license from the city, which will have a fee.
• Vote whether to instruct the city engineer to study and report back to the council on the proposed improvements to the city that are listed in the 2010 Capital Improvement Plan.
The city engineer would present whether the improvement is necessary, cost effective and feasible, as well as the estimated cost of the improvement and individual assessments for affected parcels.
• Vote whether to authorize a $250,000 fund transfer from the general fund’s unreserved balance to the PIR debt service fund.
Simonsen said over the past four years, the council has made reductions in assessments against certain properties. These properties have affected the debt service fund’s ability to meet its debt service requirements.
• Vote whether to approve a professional services agreement with attorney Tracy Bains for interim criminal prosecution services between Feb. 1 and May 7, while City Attorney Lee Bjorndal is performing duties of acting city manager.
If approved, Bains will be reimbursed at $70 an hour for her services.
• Vote whether to amend the 2010 fee schedule to include a new section for massage therapists. Under the proposal, massage therapists would be listed at the rate of $50 per person, per license each year.
• Vote whether to authorize a grant agreement with state Secretary of State’s Office for about $5,000 to be used for the purchase of six voting booths and 24 magnifiers.
• Vote whether to adopt the Freeborn County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan, which is designed to reduce vulnerability to disasters throughout the county.
• Vote whether to declare a list of surplus items and abandoned property currently in storage on city property. The items will be advertised and sold by public bid.
Instead of an auction, staff would like to advertise the items online through several government auction sites.
Items include tables, chairs, exercise equipment, televisions, VCRs and DVD players to name a few of the items. Simonsen said some of the items were obtained through drug raids.
• Vote on a request from the local Cub Scouts to use Edgewater Park and its facilities June 17 and 18 for their day camp and June 25 and 26 for an overnight campout.
They are requesting the $500 fee associated with these events be waived.
• Vote on a request from the Girl Scouts of River Valley Council to reserve the main pavilion at Edgewater Park for their day camp Aug. 9 through 11. They are asking to waive the $450 fee for the use of the pavilion.
• Vote on a request from city staff to close Frank Hall Drive between Third and Fourth streets from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, for events associated with The Big Freeze.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?
Comments
Posted by policemisconduct (anonymous) on February 6, 2010 at 10:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Cut the crooked, lying cops and keep the good ones.
Posted by Me2 (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 8:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
City Council take note! The people have spoken:
http://www.cityofalbertlea.org/city-coun...
Posted by wingo (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a sad society we live in. I hope I don't see your names in the list of the crying for police protection when they start cutting police officers. Sad, Sad, Sad. The county attorney didn't take a cut, why do you dish on him too.
Posted by altaxpayer (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 9:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The City has to cut, but everyone expects to use the facilities for nothing!
Posted by alhs1975 (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 10:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My God, how far has my old home town fallen. And if some of you get your way it will fall even farther - then you'll wish you had that police and fire protection that your miserly ways have created.
How very sad.......
Posted by littlemisssunshine (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
altaxpayer, you are right in that everyone wants services but no one want to pay for them.
Seems like our council has their priorities buttocks backwards. Use the police fire interest to keep the officer now (rather than funnel it to some non police fire pet project). Next year, the council can get their budget priorities right and fund the police department and other city essentials properly.
Posted by budgetman (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 10:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow..... It would be better for the officer to be cut now. Does the police union think next years budget will be better? Or will we be in the same situation? Wise up AL POLICE! Let the rookie go so he can find a new job. The population is going down and the protective services we have here is way above similar towns in size of Albert Lea. We still have a full-time fire department! Austin and Owatonna don't. They get by with out and have twice the industries and higher population than here. Folks $1,000,000 is the budget for the Fire Dept. The fire department is a total waste. Sure they could save a life but can't our volunteers do the same? Wake up people of Albert Lea and the council! Run the city like a bussiness if you don't have the money then start useing your head. We the people of Albert Lea trust you with our money. Its not a he is a nice guy bussiness! Do what is right for the city! Cut the position and free up more money from the Fire Department.
Posted by smart (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This should be an easy vote. The citizens have already said they don't want public safety cut through the city-wide survey, sub-district meetings, and their own personal contact with city leaders. Yet the city council has choose to ignore this. Now our own cops are giving up their own hard earned money to keep this position and ultimately what the citizens originally wanted....how sad. Shame on our city.
Sounds like the police are committed to serving this community at highest and safest level to give up their own money. This type of commitment and that the fact the money is there should be awarded with a "yes" vote on Monday.
Posted by budgetman (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
City wide survey? Yea ok. Smart if the budget is down then cuts have to be done. Its not just the police and firefighters that make our town safe! The street department keeps the roads safe the park department keeps or sidewalks safe. It goes on and on. Cuts have to be done.
Posted by toby (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Smart, You must not read this forum much then.
Perhaps more have a different opinion than you realize.
There is nothing from stopping you from ponying up the 70 grand a year to keep the officer.
We will still have committed and trained officers working here.
Posted by policemisconduct (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 2:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
City Council take note! The people have spoken
Your funny me2!! 364 people took the survey. Probably city staff.
No doubt we need police and/or Deputys. We just don't need so many. Just get out at night and see what a ghost town Albert Lea has turned into. We have a bunch of young cops running around bored with high testosterone levels ready to pounce on anything that moves wheather it be legal stops or not. Then we have cops in schools turning everyone against each other and teaching students to fear law enforcement and not to respect them.
You can be thankful that the rookies job will be saved. As for the City of Albert Lea, can you say "rest home community"?
Posted by policemisconduct (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Its nice to see that every officer will have to pay a $1000+ fine this year. Take that as a fine on your credibility as servants of the people.
Posted by alhs1975 (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 6:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Everytime I read about stories like this, I think A.L. should move to Mississippi. Y'all will love their low taxes, crappy schools, lack of services and resemblance to a third world country.
Posted by aletheia (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 7:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Budgetman you should look at how effective those volunteer departments are. They do not work very well. Sure volunteers can save lives too but thats after they get paged and then drive to work and then get suited up and then get to the fire. But lets not also forget that the firefighters do more that just put out fires. They go to accidents, they go to medicals, they go to spills, they go to gas leaks. And those towns do not have twice the industry. Do you guys remember that almost half the town is south of Front Street. You must not.
And you are right the city should be run like a business, cut the parts of the business you don't need like welfare and other drains on the system. And maybe don't spend $800,000 on sidewalks when you know you may have to cut people's jobs. How come no one wants to talk about that? Oh that’s right because no one likes a cop because cops bust criminals and then you have people like policemisconduct spouting off about how crooked they are, laughable.
And how does the park department keep the sidewalks safe?
Posted by aletheia (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 7:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A fine? Hahahhah and by the way the police are servants to the constitution and the law not to individuals who feel they should be let out of a crimes like drugs or DWI's.
Police officers take notice that most do not feel this way. We feel you are a valued asset to the community and we commend your dedication to the community by standing your ground and sending a message that you will fight for this department and the cities safety.
Posted by veteran (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 8:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
we are talking about 1 cop get real!!! why don't you go up town some night and watch what they do!! walk through the bars talk with all the drunks watch the strippers!!!there is like 3 cops for each block!! you people sound like more then one will be let go grow up!!!
Posted by policemisconduct (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 8:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To Protect and Serve!!
http://www.albertlea.com/cgi-bin/ikonboa...
Posted by policemisconduct (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 8:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Aletheia, Take your cut in pay and stop whining. You deserve it...
Posted by policemisconduct (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 8:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
alhs1975, One less cop won't turn us into a 3rd world city. People like you make it so obvious you have a cop affiliation. You guys make me laugh.
Posted by applepie (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 9:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The police took cuts to keep the one that was laid off. This is commendable. The police put their lives on the line for our safety. Some of you people are SO rude and disrespectful! You need to have appreciation for what they do.
Cutting the police force is NOT the place to cut the budget..Just because there is some down time doesn't mean we don't need the coverage!!
Posted by policemisconduct (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 9:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
applepie, "coverage" More cop affiliation again. You guys don't stop.. The police department is the only place to make cuts.
Posted by aletheia (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 10:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Its not that we have a "cop affiliation" it’s that you have an anti cop vendetta. Applepie, its not that they are being disrespectful, it’s that they are mad because they got caught doing something wrong and now they are mad at the authority that caught them. If you are a parent you see it all the time, it’s what children do.
They simply feel that people who stand up for doing the right thing and some semblance of order are “the man” and are out to get them. Again like I said before police officers have down time its part of their jobs. Of course when they are busy you get mad because they bust you.
Posted by Me2 (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 11:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
policemisconduct, your posts are nothing more than cop bashing as is evident by your username and history of posts (click on his username too see for yourselves). So telling...
Posted by policemisconduct (anonymous) on February 8, 2010 at 12:20 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by aletheia (anonymous) on February 8, 2010 at 1:56 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by policemisconduct (anonymous) on February 8, 2010 at 3:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Citizen was found NOT GUILTY.
Civil case against the Albert Lea Police Department and the officers is still pending.
Posted by policemisconduct (anonymous) on February 8, 2010 at 3:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Civil case against the City of Albert Lea and the police officers is still pending.
Posted by Straight_Forward (anonymous) on February 8, 2010 at 8:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm a teamster member in a different line of work, policemisconduct good luck to ya, you barely have a pot to piss in. Teamster attorney will chew you up and spit you out like bad piece of candy. Also all you people on here that want to bash people in different positions in this town, why don't you try to get in there shoes and do a better job. Oh thats right your probably not educated enough to do there job or to get into there position. Thanks to everyone who does positive things for this town, including the cops. Keep up the good work.
Posted by toby (anonymous) on February 8, 2010 at 12:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Policemisconduct ,
While you and I agree there is an over abundance of police in town, mine stems from a budgetary concern, while yours sounds more like an axe to grind wether you were wronged or not.
I am not against police officers, I have two nephews who are. I have asked repeatedly on this forum for those defending the need as why we need more police, with a lower population. Do you really feel less safe? Why? I have recieved no logical answers. I just hear "move to Mississippi type responses."
Listen to the police scanners for awhile. It would seem that alot is due to poor driving skills, not crime. Do the police need to respond to every ambulance call? That is not crime. I do not think that should be on the police to respond to those situations unless requested by the paramedics. Quit wasting our resources. It does not fall under the category of what the duties of the police are for.
The Trib could go a little further by listing the daily police reports as does the Austin paper, so everyone could see the call load. There needs to be law enforcement, nobody is denying that. But I ask when is enough , enough?
I ask what is everyone afraid of? This is the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. So be Brave. I wish to not live in Fear in a police state.
True, our town is like a ghost town at night. Those who clamor for more police probably do not realize that as they sit in their homes with the doors double locked. Again what are you afraid of. Look at the list of convictions in the Trib. Are they not mostly traffic violations? Again, traffic violations are Not crime, they are violations. Remember also that those said convictions are spread out between the police, the county sherrifs dept. and the state patrol. Divide the number of convictions by the different agencies.
Letting emotions run wild at the thought of the loss of one officer and the fear mongering that some how the sky will fall and crime run rampant because of it does not make the grade. I for one would rather have the fire man back. Remember the most of us are law abiding and do what is right. So think about this, 3.86 Million, say it again and let it sink in, 3.86 M i l l i o n dollars for police services in a town of 17,000? You do the math.
Then consider what is paid out for the county sherriff dept through your county taxes and the all of the different agencies of the State( State patrol, BCA, Gang Task Force, Swat, etc.etc.) paid through your state taxes.
Posted by veteran (anonymous) on February 8, 2010 at 4:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
toby.......thank you!!! that was right to the point with no disrespect at all to anyone.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
The Tribune encourages healthy, respectful dialogue in the spirit of community enlightenment. It's OK to disagree, but be courteous and civil. Name-calling, vulgarity and claims of criminality are subject to removal.
(Requires free registration.)