The Pendergrass City Council eliminated half of its workforce on Tuesday night, including dismissing its city clerk.
In a unanimous vote by the council, the following five positions were cut: City clerk Katherine Rintoul; assistant city clerk Renee Martinez; full-time police officer Scott Rogers; full-time police investigator Mark Abruzzino; and a full-time position in streets and parks that is currently vacant.
Mayor Monk Tolbert met with the employees following the meeting to inform them of the council’s decision.
“I have evaluated our organizational structure and determined that we must eliminate employee positions by 50 percent immediately,” Tolbert said. “We will offer our displaced employees a severance package and they are eligible for COBRA benefits for their insurance needs. I wish these employees good luck and each of them will get an excellent reference from me.”
Pendergrass cuts half of city staff
The cuts come amid a 63 percent drop in city property taxes due to several developments falling into foreclosure. The city took in $72,700 in property taxes in 2006; this year, that dropped to just $26,800.
The city is also experiencing a 72 percent decline in general sales taxes from 2007. In 2007, the total was $247,838; this year’s total is projected at only $69,454.
The city is also experiencing massive declines in other revenues: Franchise taxes, down 57 percent from 2007 and building permits down 36 percent from 2007.
Overall, the city has seen a 64 percent decrease in net income over the last two years.
On the expense side Tolbert said, “There has been a 16 percent increase in salaries and wages over the past three years.” The total projected for 2009 is $313,920 compared to $260,876 in 2006.
For the full story, see the July 29 issue of The Jackson Herald.
The city is also experiencing a 72 percent decline in general sales taxes from 2007. In 2007, the total was $247,838; this year’s total is projected at only $69,454.
The city is also experiencing massive declines in other revenues: Franchise taxes, down 57 percent from 2007 and building permits down 36 percent from 2007.
Overall, the city has seen a 64 percent decrease in net income over the last two years.
On the expense side Tolbert said, “There has been a 16 percent increase in salaries and wages over the past three years.” The total projected for 2009 is $313,920 compared to $260,876 in 2006.
For the full story, see the July 29 issue of The Jackson Herald.
Defined tags for this entry: mike
Oh, that's right... we'll just look for the "bailout the council" tax to be written into the "new revised city charter"
I guess you are right, criminals do hide behind tinted windows. Look how many police end up in the news for crimes. Police who really want to fight crime patrol the business and neighborhods looking for criminals. They do not sit on a mile stretch of the bypass looking for "any reason" to pull people over, just to write them a ticket.
Stupidity,
I did not think that the police where suppose to break the laws unless they have there blue lights going. Why are they allowed to have darker than allowed tint, go over the speed limit(way over it), park in the median, ....? And no, I do not have any tint of my four cars. I do not depend on the police for my protection, I protect myself and property with my own guns.
I've witnessed a fender bender in front of Pendergrass PD and the JCSO was called out to handle it while Pendergrass drove right by to take their spot on Wayne Poultry road. That's really the PD I can depend on to serve and protect.
If you just look at the list of offenses and number of tickets Pendergrass writes you would think this was the most crime laden city in the US. Who would want to live there? Pendergrass PD needs to step aside and let the county take over, then maybe we can all drive to UGA games without taking the long way home.
You can defend them all you want, but the fact is they are there to do one thing, and that's write tickets to people during high traffic times. Why don;t you do an open records request and see how many robberies, burglaries, or even traffic accidents they have worked before you shoot your mouth off.
How can these people get by with this??? Every outraged citizen of this city needs to show up at the next council meeting and start making demands: Those involved need to be immediately suspended and a full investigation needs to be done by the district attorneys office, GBI and the Georgia State Bar Association. All employees who were fired should be reinstated. Corrupt government cannot continue to be allowed to operate in this manner. The city of Pendergrass needs to take charge and stand up like these whistleblowers did - don't let their voice be in vain!
They can take our tax money our ticket money but not our Katherine.