City of Decatur Eliminated 5 Vacant Positions in Past Year
Decatur Metro | May 26, 2010You can now register your official approval/disapproval of Decatur’s 2010-2011 budget over on Open City Hall.
Among the bullet points in the Open City Hall overview is the “elimination of 5 vacant full-time positions”. But you have to dig into the City Manager’s 20 page, single-spaced budget message for detail.
During the past year, two full‐time positions were eliminated in the Active Living Division. One position in senior services has been replaced with part‐time staff and at the tennis center, a full‐time assistant program supervisor position was eliminated and duties are also being covered as necessary with part‐time staff. These two changes have allowed us to meet essential service needs with greater flexibility at a reduced cost.
In the Children and Youth Services Division, two full‐time positions have been eliminated. Our long‐term plan is to concentrate on upgrading the existing Site Director positions through training and skill development to continue to improve an already superior program.
In the Police Department one of two administrative assistants is retiring as of July 1st. Existing duties will be covered by the other administrative assistant and by sharing some responsibilities with existing part‐time employees. One full‐time position will be eliminated.
How does the job of “a full‐time assistant program supervisor” in the tennis center even remotely constitute an “essential service need?” This one boggles my mind.
I think you read it wrong.
“During the past year, two full‐time positions were eliminated …These two changes have allowed us to meet essential service needs with greater flexibility at a reduced cost.”
I’m wondering about “In the Children and Youth Services Division, two full-time positions have been eliminated. Our long-term plan is to concentrate on upgrading the existing Site Director positions through training and skill development to continue to improve an already superior program”. This sounds like the after school programs are losing staff at the same time that most of them are at full-capacity with waiting lists. I hate to do anything to shake up a vitally needed and excellent program.