By Matt Snyder
MERCER COUNTY — Mercer County’s plan to scale back personnel costs during a rough-and-tumble budget year hit a snag Wednesday when workers said “no” to dropping one day from every two-week pay period.
All three of the unions for county employees voted overwhelmingly against the measure put forward by county commissioners, said United Steel Workers international staff representative Linda Breeden.
Commissioner John Lechner said employees are still receptive, and they still intend to cut some personnel costs. All options remain on the table, he said, including pay cuts, voluntary retirement, or some form of layoff.
The county is dealing with about $800,000 of unbudgeted expenses this year. About half will be to cover Children and Youth Services money the state has cut; the other half is for pension fund payments, required because of stock market losses.
That $800,000 only stands to worsen as the state works on a recession-year budget that may further cut so-called “pass through” money to counties. Pass-through money is often used to fill the state’s mandates for services, and if no cut on mandates follows, the county has to make up the difference.
If the budget gap yawns to wide, commissioners have said they will do what they must to keep the county’s finances solvent — including raising taxes.
Commissioners have said their plan to have employees take one unpaid day off each pay period for five pay periods would have saved $200,000, making up a quarter of the shortfall so far.
But employees were concerned about further action down the road and commissioners could not guarantee there would not be layoffs even after employees took the unpaid days, said Breeden, who represent most courthouse employees.
Ms. Breeden said they are among the lowest-paid county workers, and already get only 35 hours a week.
She said the union will remain open to discussing any plans commissioners put forward, and added that employees will be looking for cost savings as well. She said they will contribute their ideas to a suggestion box.
For now, the county will try to implement some ideas brought forward by employees, such as increasing courthouse fees that have been stagnant for 20 years, charging for use of courthouse rooms, or cutting some supplies.
But those nips and cuts probably won’t be enough, Lechner said. Commissioners plan on some form of cuts to personnel. Even the plan to institute unpaid days isn’t entirely dead yet, Lechner said. They will also consider forming a different plan with each of the courthouse’s three bargaining units, and tailor a cost-saving measure to each union’s needs.
Ms. Breeden and Lechner both said talks will continue, and there are no firm decisions yet.
