Cuts to employee raises and travel and training dominated the list of budget amendments approved by the Niagara Falls City Council on Thursday.
Council members voted to eliminate $45,248 in proposed raises for 21 employees in Mayor Paul Dyster’s 2010 budget and slashed an additional $71,210 in travel and training expenses. The combined savings in those lines is $116,458 — about 40 percent of the overall $282,391 in cuts being pushed by the council.
The raises eliminated include a $3,000 increase for Director of Business Development Fran Iusi and an additional $1,496 each for the secretaries of the city council, mayor and city administrator. Council members have said previously they would block any raises that were not contractual or mandated.
“The key is, not that some of the people were not warranted a raise, but the taxpayers and the city of Niagara Falls cannot afford it,” said Councilman Robert Anderson. “It is time to do more with less.”
Following the budget worksession, Dyster defended the raises, saying there’s a need for “modest pay increases” based on special circumstances. He said some of the employees have been given expanded duties without more compensation.
“We don’t want to be in a position where we’re in danger of losing someone who is specially skilled,” he said.
The mayor said he wants to take a closer look at the council’s amendments before making a final decision on whether to veto.
Councilmembers also attacked all travel and training increases Dyster included in his proposed $79.2 million budget. The reductions were spread across 18 offices and departments, most notably $23,450 for police criminal investigation personnel, $7,500 for firefighters and $6,100 for City Administrator Donna Owens.
Dyster said his administration is trying to put an increased emphasis on employee training. Under his budget, he proposed $119,600 be allocated for all departments, compared to the $64,619 put in this year.
“Spending at least something on training-related travel is important,” he said.
Despite the cuts, Council Chairman Chris Robins noted there is still travel and training money available for various departments, but due to the current economic conditions, increases are not appropriate.
“To increase travel and training at this time is not where we want to be,” Robins said.
Though most of the action taken Thursday was to reduce the proposed 2010 budget, City Council members also voted to add in more than $100,000 to revamp the inspections department at Dyster’s request.
As part of the overhaul, the office’s name will be changed to the Department of Code Enforcement and inspectors will concurrently be changed to code enforcement officers. Councilmembers approved a budget amendment to hire a new code enforcement officer with a base salary of $42,400, which will be paid out of the city’s share of casino funds.
Other changes in the department, including increasing daily hours from seven to eight for all employees, will cost $25,993. However, Acting Building Commissioner Dennis Virtuoso said that money will be covered by additional revenue the department will get from being awarded restitution when they pursue a code violation in court.
Both Dyster and Virtuoso praised the council Thursday for following through with the department restructuring.
“We’re pleased everybody recognizes we need to make a change in that area,” Virtuoso said. “Now we have to produce.”
Local News
CITY COUNCIL: Budget cuts attack raises, travel
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