County proposes to spend $1,370,000.00 property tax $’s per day in 2009
By Tina Renna | January 23, 2009
Union County Manager George Devanney has proposed a $449.3 million budget for 2009 that predicts cost reductions through at least 28 layoffs. In a letter to the freeholders dated 1/22/09 Devanney writes “We have implemented a hiring freeze on all non-essential positions.”
Sound familiar? The hiring freeze was implemented in January 2006 with much fanfare; if it was ever called off it was done so very quietly. Since then 493 employees have been hired including 112 in 2006.
Four employees have been hired in January alone. Seven employee’s were hired in December including Mark Brink who is a System Analyst for finance with a starting salary of $69,250, just to give you an idea of what the county deems a “essential” employee, 17 employees were hired in November, 9 in October……..
Just a few of my favorite “essential - can’t do without them” recent hires are: Clerk Typist ($31,000), Data Processor Programmer “Trainee” ($40,000), and on December 20, 2008 - DRUM ROLL please!!!
The Sheriff’s Department hired a new “PARKING ATTENDENT” ($31,529).