Contentious meeting pits council against police force
Naperville City Councilman Jim Boyajian told police officers at Tuesday's meeting that a career choice that asks them to lay their lives on the line every day should not exclude them from the chopping block when it comes to cutting costs for the city.
He said those who argue that the city should not cut six police officers because of their daily risk and sacrifice miss the point of the layoffs.
“This is not indentured service,” he said. “If you want to do something else, be my guest and do something else. You don't get it.”
The comments came after Naperville resident Tracy Richards, the wife of a police officer, told the council that she was angry at Boyajian's comments during a meeting in November that said all Naperville city employees will endure the same adversity as the city digs out of what was once a $6.3 million budget deficit.
“We should all be holding men and women of the police and fire department in higher regard,” she said. “It truly disgusts me to hear your lack of respect and value of these officers. I'm perplexed as to why the police department is the only one being looked at in the area of reductions.”
Richards went on to say that the laid off officers were working their dream jobs. Boyajian said that should not be a factor in discussions.
“I respect every man and woman who serves as our sworn officers and in the fire service,” he said. “But there are others who are also living their hopes and dreams and doing the same kind of thing they are doing in another profession.”
During the often confrontational meeting, supporters of the police department jeered at the council when they passed a symbolic resolution to support City Manager Doug Krieger in his efforts to balance the budget, a process that has included the layoffs.
Only City Councilman Bob Fieseler voted against the resolution, saying to vote yes would mean supporting cutting the police officers and that there were better places to cut costs.
Krieger said the show of support caught him off guard but that he appreciated it.
“It's certainly more difficult to lead in times like this,” he said. “We have got a great staff and the amount of support I have gotten from every department has been tremendous.”
Last month, the city council voted to lay off the officers just days after it entered into a contract agreement with the union. The union has responded by filing an unfair labor complaint because, officials said, the city had not mentioned layoffs during negotiations.
City Councilman Grant Wehrli disputed that and told officers in attendance that if they were truly concerned with their fellow officers, they would forego any raises for the next three years. Under the newly signed deal, union members will receive a 3.3 percent increase for 2010-2011 and follows with two years of 3 percent raises.
“They asked for a no-layoff clause, we said ‘No,'” Wehrli said at the meeting. “If they want those six officers back, zeros the next three years. We are trying to manage our way through a financial crisis. It's just the reality of the world we live in.”
Union president Vince Clark said city officials offered the raises and never said layoffs would result if they were accepted.
“I felt like we were stabbed in the back,” he said. “Their negotiating team never offered (no raises for three years). He is pulling it out of spite to posture as a council member. In no way did we think we'd be double crossed.”