Six Antioch Police Officers Handed Layoff Notices, Today
Council Members Were Not Informed
By Allen Payton, Publisher
According to Antioch Police Officers Association (APOA) President Tom Fuhrmann, Chief of Police Jim Hyde handed out layoff notices to six police officers, today. They’re effective in two weeks.
In response to a question about the statement on the APOA’s website (www.APOA.com) regarding the layoffs, Furhman said “Yes…it is true. The Chief notified each of the six officers personally, today. I believe they were told ‘two weeks.’”
The council members were not aware the notices were given out, today, nor was it mentioned by either City Manager Jim Jakel or Chief Hyde at last night’s council meeting.
“This is the first I have heard, as well,” Mayor Jim Davis said. “However, it was inevitable. This city must remain solvent. I firmly advised that the City Council make the ultimate decision based on the indecision of the bargaining units.”
“I was not notified, per say,” Davis added. “We authorized Jim Jakel the dollar amount to reduce. He made and makes the decision where and when. The two weeks is a total surprise, however.”
Councilman Gary Agopian also wasn’t aware of the notices.
“No announcement I have seen,” he replied to this reporter’s question. “But we did authorize $700,000 in reductions to this fiscal year to balance the budget. Without concessions there will be potential layoffs.”
However, during our conversation, Agopian verified that the layoff notices had been handed out.
“I just confirmed, yes,” he stated. “But if we get agreements, we can rescind the notices.”
When asked if it was true, the layoff notices had been handed out, Councilman Brian Kalinowski stated, “I believe, so with more to come. They have salary deferrals of 8.6% due without further concessions.”
However, there appears to be some confusion between the council members’ understanding and the APOA’s understanding of why the layoffs might occur.
When asked if the police would extend their concessions in an email conversation, Furhmann stated “The city is not accepting offers to continue concessions and we are told it wouldn’t be enough to stop layoffs anyway.”
“We were told today that these [layoffs] were done to deal with the $700,000 deficit this year and should there not be concessions continued they will do layoffs to cover that as well,” he said. “Continued concessions simply have not been offered by the city at the table. I have five board members to support this. Maybe the council isn’t getting all the information relayed to them in closed session…Hmmm.”
“This is the easy way out to balance the budget,” Furhmann added.
Agopian responded “Of course the council is getting information on the exact offer from APOA and vice versa from city. It’s simple. The gap isn’t closed, yet that does the job to save jobs.”
“I believe it can be done,” he said.
Kalinowski also responded. “I have the highest respect for all city employees. I do not enjoy having to make negative decisions which impact them on a personal level or impact the residents of this city and their quality of life.”
“I will not discuss closed session information in public,” he added. “But I assure you that all members of the council have all the information. I will restate my position which was part of the thinking, publicly. This city has no monies to spend to increase its day to day costs, overall today or two years from now. We must deliver a balanced budget.”
“Very shortly there are concessions which may expire. We must restore the concessions we have and will make like reductions,” Kalinowski said.
Neither Hyde nor Jakel were available for comment at press time.
