Amador County – The Ione City Council on Tuesday approved 3 and 4 percent pay reductions for all employees, including the police chief and officers and the city manager. The council voted 4-0 to authorize in a reduction of more that $50,000 total, with Councilwoman Andrea Bonham absent. The vote authorized City Manager Kim Kerr to signs letters of agreement with various bargaining units and unrepresented employees on negotiated reductions of wages. The agreements also include voluntary furlough, and reduction of pay through mandatory furlough hours through the end of the fiscal year. Kerr said that did not include her city manager position, though she also agreed to a 4 percent pay cut, as did Ione Police Chief Michael Johnson. Kerr will sign letters of agreement with Johnson, the Management and Confidential Unit for unrepresented employees, the Ione Police Officers Association, and the Service Employees International Union. The council also authorized Mayor Lee Ard to sign an agreement letter with Kerr for her pay reduction. The cuts were based on City Council direction to the negotiating team regarding each bargaining unit. Kerr in a report to the council said the IPOA offered a $17,522 savings with a 3 percent cut in taking 41 hours in voluntary furloughs between now and the end of the fiscal year, November 30th, 2010. They also offered waiving retirement and “premium holiday” payments for employees. The SEIU offered $113,272 in saving with a 4 percent salary reduction in taking 56 mandatory furlough hours off through the end of the fiscal year, along with waiving a month’s contribution to deferred compensation for nonparticipation in the city medical insurance program. SEIU also offered additional voluntary furlough on management approval, and a 50-50 split on retirement and holiday payments. The police chief, nonunion employees and the city manager’s agreements amounted to $25,384 in budget reduction. The police chief would have 41 hours in furlough time off through the end of the year, and nonunion employees would have 56 mandatory hours of furlough. The city manager would not have any reduction in hours. All of the reductions would amount to savings of more than $56,000. The Ione City Council will have a special meeting 6 p.m. Monday, November 23rd for a public hearing to discuss Community Development Block Grants for Planning and Technical Assistance. The hearing will include discussion of requirements and funding opportunities, and give the public an opportunity to offer feedback on potential uses of CDBG planning and assistance funds. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.