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Supervisors: Heated Debate a Prelude to Possible Layoffs
By Laura Timm
May 22, 2008 - 10:59:19 PM

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“If you can’t stand the heat in the furnace, you better get out,” said Iowa County Supervisor Charles Montross. Mitch Traphagen Photo

MARENGO - “As much as we would like to ‘dodge the bullet’ we are not able to,” said Ray Garringer in a response via E-mail regarding future Road Department layoffs.

At the Board of Supervisor’s meeting on Friday, May 16  the first topic up for discussion, also became the most heated topic of the day. The Iowa County Road Department is dealing with the reality of roads badly in need of maintenance and repair after one of the hardest winters and highest snowfall amounts in years. On the other hand, it is precisely for this reason that the department is headed for probable layoffs as the new fiscal year approaches.

Linda Yoder expressed reluctance to this course of action and referred to previous discussions when the County Engineer believed the budget could be refined without these cuts. Supervisor Ric Gerard responded, pointed out that, “At the time of the budget decision we were not anywhere close to spending half a million on snow clearing. We were not close to having the kind  of damage to the roads that we have and you have to be able to adjust.”

Vice Chair Ray Garringer added, “At the time of the budget, we were hoping the worst of the winter was over. Instead, it hadn’t begun.” In a response via E-mail Ray also pointed out, “In the early talks the Engineer thought she could be 3 employees less without effecting service to the public. Some on the Board wanted the number to be 5. The budget was put together without cutting positions, but with having NO local construction money.”

Supervisor Ric Gerard mentioned in a phone response, “I think that the roads can be maintained and brought back to good condition with less employees. These layoffs  would not happen until after the end of the fiscal year. We need to have some money available do the road and construction projects needed. We did not anticipate at the time of the budget, the need for more gravel, we did not know that a bridge, (at T Ave.), which had a 10 year life expectancy was going to be closed immediately. The Lake Road, because of the late winter,  needs repairs to the seal coat. There is a tremendous amount of money needed that was not anticipated at the time of the budget. We need to get that money from some place; unfortunately the only place to get that money is in laying off people.”

Supervisor Charles Montross pointed out at Monday’s meeting, “When we did the budget that was one of the things we knew we had to do to make the budget work was reduce by about 5 people.” Montross used the analogy, “It’s raining out today. Now, when my guys come to work we send them home.”  

The amount that would be saved in  making these cuts, according to the board’s estimate, is approximately $50,000 - $60,000 per person. The department’s budget is helped by about another $100,000 because two employees took advantage of the ‘Early Separation’ policy that was put into place earlier this year. The comment was made that $250,000 buys a lot of gravel.

Linda Yoder replied via E-mail saying, “This issue will be on Friday’s agenda with the board and the Engineer. Since it has not been voted on I really have no comment at this time.”

The Board also voted in favor of Iowa County’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. Supervisors have considered countywide participation in the NFIP for the past several months, the issue came to the forefront recently with the purchase of Victor Plastics by Riverbend Industries. Part of the plant located near Victor is in a flood hazard area. Iowa County’s application for NFIP coverage now moves to the Department of Natural Resources and then subsequently to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for approval.

There was no opposition to the issue during the public hearing.



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