Plainfield lays off 16 workers
PLAINFIELD -- Acting on a budget shortfall of more than $1 million, the village laid off 16 employees Thursday.
The police department union was also given notice that the village plans to lay off three patrol officers, in addition to the 16 other employees, Village Administrator Brian Murphy said.
The 16 employees were notified Oct. 29 that it was their last day at work.
"We just had what I consider a very dark time in the history of the village of Plainfield," Mayor Mike Collins said Monday night. "Heavy decisions were made last week, and heavy decisions will be coming."
Of the employees laid off, two worked in the water department, two worked in the police department's records division, one was a police community service officer, two worked in the planning department, two worked in the streets department and seven others worked as support staff -- reception, clerical, janitorial.
The police union has requested a hearing in front of an arbitrator to challenge the layoffs and find a way to avoid them with concessions such as furlough or salary cuts.
Severance packages are still being negotiated with the employees who were let go, Murphy said.
Village employees rejected previous suggestions of furlough or pay cuts, Collins said.
Residents will notice changes in village service in some areas, Murphy said.
In August the village was notified that state income tax revenue fell short, which was the cause of the budget hole, officials said.
"Their water runs downhill," Collins said, adding that village staff are anticipating less money from the state for the next fiscal year as well.
Collins said officials hope they do not have to lay anyone else off.
Even with the cuts, the village will be close to breaking even this fiscal year but will still have a shortfall, Murphy said.
Next year the village staff hopes to have a balanced budget with no new taxes or fees, he said.
Budget workshops for the 2010-2011 fiscal year are set to begin in the next few weeks.
The Plainfield Art League was counting on the $7,000 payout from the village to make its rent, and may have to close its doors after December.
But most trustees said they could not give the organization the money after laying off so many people.
"I cannot in good conscience look somebody in the face who's going into December with no way to support themselves," said Trustee Margie Bonuchi. "There is no way I could support any money going out that way at all."
When the board created the 2009-2010 fiscal year budget they agreed to release half the budgeted funding to six nonprofit groups in May, and asked the groups to return to the board for the other half in November.
There could be five groups -- The Conservation Foundation, Conservation Plainfield, MainStreet Plainfield Inc., Plainfield Area Community Chorus and Plainfield Television Group -- seeking the rest of their funding.
