CITY MAKES PERSONNEL CUTS; 12 POSITIONS ELIMINATED FROM BUDGET

Cape Girardeau City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said Wednesday that the city this year will eliminate a dozen employee positions as part of an ongoing "reorganization" effort to save personnel costs.

The latest series of personnel changes is expected to save about $250,000 in payroll expenses from the city's $10 million general fund.

The city manager also said that due to the budget woes, city employees won't see any pay increase this year.

Fischer announced the cuts at a news conference at City Hall, where he said the staff reorganization won't result in elimination of programs or any reduction in services.

"This is another phase of the reorganization of city government in Cape Girardeau to reflect the leveling off of sales tax revenue, where we're not showing any growth now, and we're not projecting any growth in the next year," he said.

Fischer said most of the city employees affected by the cuts are either eligible for retirement or will be transferred to other full- or part-time positions.

A total of 24 personnel changes will be included in the budget for fiscal year 1992, which begins July 1. The changes include elimination of 12 positions; addition of six positions; and reassignment or reclassification of six positions.

Of the 12 cuts, all but two of the employees a part-time typist and an aquatics director will either be transferred to another position or eligible for retirement.

Fischer said the cuts are part of a number of personnel reductions that have been made during the past four years. The current cuts were made after the various city department heads contemplated where personnel costs could best be saved short of an "across-the-board" lay-off, he said.

"It's something that's come about over the last six to eight months," said Fischer. "We asked the department heads to look at their departments with the idea of economizing without reducing any services or eliminating any programs."

The city manager said he and other city officials have met with each of the employees who will be affected by the reorganization to explain the rationale behind the cuts and options for retirement or part-time employment with benefits.

"Some of them will be used part time," he said. "And they will keep their same benefits, so that their level of income will not be significantly lowered."

The city now has the equivalent of 359 full-time employees, nine less than worked for the city in 1988, Fischer said.

Despite the cuts, he said the city has added a number of projects and services that weren't in place four years ago.

"Over the years even with the reorganization we have a number of projects we didn't have four years ago, and we're doing them with less people," Fischer said. "In light of the expansion of projects, we're accomplishing that with fewer employees.

"It's an important fact that it's allowed us to provide services and programs and do it in the most efficient manner."

Eight of the personnel changes involve the city's police and fire departments. In the police department, the duties of three long-time employees will be reassigned to other officers.

All three employees Capt. Don Roberts; Lt. Bob Ross, who serves as a station commander; and Carl Pease Sr., a patrolman who primarily serves as a maintenance worker for the department are eligible for early or full-retirement.

Roberts and Pease are being offered part-time work with the city, with Roberts working with the Public Works Department in nuisance abatement and litter control and Pease in facilities maintenance.

Police Chief Howard "Butch" Boyd said a final decision remained to be made on who would take over the duties of the three officers.

"We will undergo a restructuring in the department and the duties and responsibilities will be assigned to other people," he said. Boyd said the police department has people "in house" who can take up some of the slack from a couple of the positions.

In the fire department, two assistant fire chiefs will be eliminated with one eligible for retirement and the other transferred to fire captain.

Also, the fire inspector will become fire marshal and duty officer and a training officer will take on duty officer responsibilities.

E.J. Rotert provided some information for this article.