Aurora mayor: Hire back 4 cops
No one in Aurora is saying tough financial times are over, but optimism is rising that the city’s major budget cuts and contentious contract negotiations over the past two years may be paying off.
The city expects only a $5 million budget shortfall for 2012, as opposed to the $19 million and $18 million deficits faced in 2010 and 2011 respectively, Finance Director Brian Caputo said Tuesday while presenting the midyear financial review to aldermen.
And after laying off eight police officers Jan. 1, the city now is in the financial position to bring four of them back, Mayor Tom Weisner said.
“We’re looking to restore four of the police officers that we had to lay off immediately,” he said.
The announcement was “fantastic news” to Police Chief Greg Thomas.
Along with the four officers Weisner authorized rehiring, Thomas said retirements have allowed the department to hire back three previously laid-off officers. Two of those three started working again within the past week, and the third will rejoin the force Saturday, he said.
Dave Schmidt, president of Aurora’s police patrol officers union said rehiring four more officers will help the department’s staffing levels and remove some of the pressure on officers to fill overtime shifts they may not want.
“Anytime that you can bring them back obviously it’s good because we’re extremely short-handed and the guys are getting burned out working overtime,” Schmidt said. “It’s always good to get the guys back on the street.”
Thomas and Weisner said they hope to plan a timeline for bringing four more officers back to the force.
But for Aurora to continue experiencing positive economic results, Caputo said the city will need to stay diligent in its efforts to keep costs down.
Of the 10 major revenue sources that contribute to the city’s general fund, four of them are projected to come in under the budgeted amount by the end of 2011; one is projected to meet the budgeted amount; and five are expected to increase based on Caputo’s analysis of midyear data.
Overall, the general fund is expected to have a surplus of about $1.7 million at the end of the year if current trends continue and the economy doesn’t drop into a “double-dip recession,” Caputo said.
“I’m not saying happy days are here — they are certainly not,” he said. “But it’s moderating.”
The improved revenue trends and cost-containment efforts, such as seeking concessions from employee groups, helped the budget deficit fall from $18 million in 2011 to $5 million for 2012, leading Weisner to express some cautious optimism.
“If the economy doesn’t go south on us,” he said, “I think perhaps we’ve seen the worst.”