It isn't clear whether the city's unions are going to go along with a request to make concessions in order to prevent layoffs.
Mayor Art Ward said he still hopes that each of the city's unions would agree that saving jobs is their priority "but that's not my decision to make."
Talks are still going on, he said.
"Everything is open until the end of business" today, the mayor said.
On Wednesday, at a closed-door City Council session, the details of whatever has gone on in the negotiations will be discussed with the six city councilors. Perhaps some decisions will be made after the executive session.
Ward said he has no choice other than "to fill that monetary void" in the budget with savings from concessions or layoffs.
"Everybody has to share the pain, unfortunately," the mayor said.
It's virtually certain that at least some layoffs will be necessary, officials said.
The picture will be clear on Thursday when the Board of Finance and City Council hold a joint meeting, in public, to approve a final $170 million spending plan that freezes property taxes and balances expected revenue with spending.
After that, officials will start trying to figure out how to cope with next year, when the situation looks more dire.
*******Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
22 comments:
First Ward gives them nice raises then asks for it back.
Great Leadership...Ward, Moving Bristol Back-Ward
The situation has changed. Ward is doing the right thing...great leadership...even in a recession Ward keeps moving Bristol forward.
"Everybody has to share the pain, unfortunately," the mayor said.
Everybody but the taxpayers, that is. Classic election year budget. How does Ward justify threatening to lay off honest workers, and steal almost $3 million from the rainy day fund (on top of over $1 million taken from it last year), without asking the taxpayers for even a half a mill increase? He should be ashamed of himself, and so should his supporters.
Get real folks We're in a RECESSION. Lots of our citizens can't afford a tax increase. Ward will be damned by his adversaries no matter what he does and his motives will be questioned, but truth be told, he's actually doing what needs to be done...and that's REAL leadership.
Way I hear it, Ward will not discuss any cost savings measures to make the city run more efficiently - he's giving the unions 2 choices - either take a wage freeze or face lay offs. Plenty of people are willing to do their share, take furloughs, and find other ways to cut - he doesn't want to hear it. His way or the highway. Also heard the cops won't talk to him, let's see if he'll lay off cops, like his son (or any other relatives)!
"Way I hear it,"
Didn't grandma ever tell you..."believe NONE of what hear and only half of what you see." Nice try though!
First, Why has Ward waited so long to do ANYTHING?
He was alerted to possible budgetary impacts well over a year ago.
Why hasn't he made reductions in spending, no matter how small, as has been suggetsted by many many people?
Why did Art be so generous in negotiations when he knew that we were facing tough times?
How can a citizen provide any input when the mayor keeps everything to himself?
And why is the city playing games with the budget?
12:30 poster,
the cops want layoffs. The old timers are upset because they are not getting lots of overtime. Therefor they will be happy about laying off the new officers so they can get the overtime back.
AND WARD KNOWS THIS!
if I were the grandmother of 12:30, I would have snuffed the life out of them and saved the world from the moron.
"Ward will be damned by his adversaries no matter what he does and his motives will be questioned, but truth be told, he's actually doing what needs to be done...and that's REAL leadership."
Bunk. Real leaders have the courage to make us take our medicine, and the ability to explain why we need to take our medicine. Ward has neither. He's the worst mayor since the last mayor.
While staff could and should be reduced, if Art had started months ago and had a plan going forward, no one would have had to have been laid off.
So much for his concern for people, and for his knowledge of the system.
Never should have been elected.
"Real leaders have the courage to make us take our medicine"
Well gee, that'd be swell and all if we all had the money to pay, but many people have lost their jobs or had their hours cut and are living paycheck to paycheck (if they're lucky enough to still have one). Real leaders know when the medicine will kill us...
bRISTOL HAS TO BE THE BEST PLACE IN THE US TO WORK . NO GUIDENCE UNION RUNNING THE CITY AND EVERYBODY RELATED. LOOK AT THE POLICE DEPT 2 AND 3 MEMBERS OF THE SAME FAMILY. AND THE PERRYS HAVE FOUR.WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO WORK . GET HIRED AND THE UNION TAKES OVER.
Cut the overtime budget: Stortz did.
2:12PM Post~You say he is the Worst Mayor since the Last Mayor and the next Mayor will be the Worst than the Last Mayor...Do you know who the previous President of the United States was...Loser!
Ward needs to go!
Ward sure knows how to play games on the taxpayers of Bristol. He knows nothing but acts as if he is the king. Well come November his world is going to fall.
9:47
Hate to disagree with you, but with the current Republican ineptitude, Ward is a shoo in.
They won't even field a full slate, may even leave the mayors slot open!!
If this is the leadership that Ward is showing, there won't be any solutions next year either.
OK, let me get this right... Some of the unions in town won't give back or freeze wages or bennies.
Pleases!!!! Give back or out you go ! Thats what the union has forced the cities hand. Guess what union members the ride stop NOW !! PAY YOUR SHARE OR SHUT UP!!
10:03
Looks like you are right.
And if there is no body on the top, Mike and Ken will be in for a battle!
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