ALFRED — York County Commissioners got an earful from residents, employees and former employees Wednesday following 24 layoffs announced Monday. The cuts were made after commissioners authorized County Manager Richard Brown to take whatever steps necessary to reduce spending by $1.3 million on Sept. 3. The vote was three to one, with Richard Dutremble casting the negative vote.
Wednesday’s regularly scheduled commissioners meeting saw a heated exchange between chairman Sallie Chandler and County Patrol Association president Michael Hayes. The two traded words over concessions in union contracts.
Hayes said the CPA had offered concessions. Chandler said she hadn’t seen any in writing.
“None of us were pleased to lay off anybody. The fact is we don’t have any money,” said Chandler.
Hayes said the conversation with the county’s negotiating team had been recorded.
“I have them on tape,” he said. “We gave good concessions but were told they weren’t acceptable by the county manager.”
Commissioners Daniel Cabral and David Bowles remained mum on the layoff subject throughout the meeting.
Before the public weighed in on the layoffs, Dutremble explained options he had earlier brought forth to his fellow commissioners.
Dutremble said he had seen friction among many people and some personal agendas and so he focused on the financial aspects of the situation. He said a combination of savings and a modest tax increase of two to three percent would have reached the $1.3 million goal without layoffs. Savings could have been found in lower interest payments on debt, in the capital improvement plan and from a one-time signing bonuses paid this year along with furlough days and a union wage freeze.
A two to three percent tax increase in Biddeford, where Dutremble lives, would have added $6 or $7 to his tax bill, he noted.
“Granted, there are a lot of variations, but it could be worked out,” said Dutremble of his plan.
Brown has estimated savings from the layoffs at just less than $1 million.
The Monday layoffs included the loss of seven deputies and a clerk at the sheriff’s office, seven workers from the registry of deeds, three from probate, five support staff from the district attorneys office and one clerk from the finance office. A retirement and a vacancy bring the total of job losses to 26.
County officials have blamed the jail consolidation law for the county’s fiscal troubles. The law means the county can no longer use jail revenues to offset other county expenses and that, coupled with health insurance premium increases and contracted raises, means a shortfall going forward of $1.3 million.
Dutremble’s words were greeted with thunderous applause.
“I’m not here for applause,” he said. “I’m not here to say I’m right and (the other commissioners) are wrong.”
Several of those who spoke up said commissioners had made the wrong choice.
A title abstractor who didn’t give her name said she now has concerns about the reliability of information at the Registry of Deeds because there are six people now doing the work that 13 had done.
“Your actions, though done with good study and a lot of financial issues, have put the sanctity of records in great peril,” she said. “The staff remaining won’t be able to take care of the business of the Registry of Deeds.”
“People will start taking the law into their own hands,” said Margaret Trowbridge of Sanford of the cuts at the sheriff’s office. “Shame on you people. You haven’t seen nothing yet,” said Trowbridge, predicting a rise in rural crime.
Another woman who works for an organization that cares for the developmentally disabled said the sheriff’s office has always responded to calls when clients are in crisis.
“What happens if I have a 2 a.m. person in crisis and no deputy?” she asked.
Not everyone decried the cuts. Resident Marvin Anson, who has previously stated his displeasure with the sheriff’s office, said he supported cuts in that department, but not in other areas of county government.
— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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