Amador County – An eleventh hour agreement between the county and the Amador County Deputy District Attorney’s Association, or ACDDAA, saved one position from elimination Tuesday afternoon. The Board of Supervisors took on a somber tone during their morning meeting when discussing Employee Unit Negotiations on Wage Concessions and disagreements with the ACDDAA. Of the nine bargaining units involved in negotiations, only the ACDDAA did not accept a 9 percent pay reduction in order to keep the county fiscally sound as it enters a new budget year. Amador County Administrative Officer Terri Daly recommended the board layoff one Deputy District Attorney. Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe made an impassioned plea to the board to extend negotiations until Friday. He referred to the Deputy District Attorneys as “hard working professionals who toil in a sometimes thankless job.” He said the 36 hour/4 day work week agreed upon with other unions wouldn’t necessarily apply to his staff because “most work on their day off anyway.” Riebe said “a one-size-fits-all mentality doesn’t work” and “they are willing to shoulder their portion of the burden, it is only a question of how it is achieved.” Supervisor Brian Oneto countered that “we have been negotiating on this for months…and we’re dragging our feet.” Daly said the Sheriff’s office mid-management has taken cuts and still faces the same amount of crime. Various staff spoke up about regularly working extra hours in order to complete their duties. Board Chairman Ted Novelli said the Board and staff have acted in good faith. “I’d like to see the dollars it’s taken just to get this thing wrapped up,” he said. Senior Deputy District Attorney Joe Gasperetti said he would be willing to take a personal 20 percent furlough in order to save a position. Deputy District Attorney Bill Houle begged the board to give his association until Friday. Supervisor John Plasse sternly admonished the association. He said they had been given the same amount of time to negotiate as any other unit and had not responded at all from May 1st to July 9th. He said it was not adequate that the county received a compromised proposal the day before at 4 pm. “Mr. Riebe said that is in good faith. I do not concur,” said Plasse. Supervisor Louis Boitano made a motion to layoff one position unless the union agreed to the acceptance of a 36 hour/4 day work week by the 3 pm deadline. The Supervisors approved the motion 4-0. Supervisor Richard Forster was absent. At approximately 2:45 pm, the ACDDAA agreed to the 36 hour work week stipulation. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.