Kane Co. reaches accord with sheriff's union for budget fixes

Kane County Sheriff's officers will trade salary concessions for job security this year as another potential deficit in the department may have sparked layoffs. Sheriff Pat Perez said the agreement and some other new changes in the department prove he's willing and able to make tough sacrifices when necessary.

The county board approved a memorandum of understanding with the union Tuesday. The highlights of the deal include a wage freeze for the first half of the fiscal year. The officers in the union were slated to receive a 4 percent raise at the beginning of the fiscal year, according to their contract. That raise will not kick in until June 1, and no retroactive pay will be involved. Officers will also give up their ability to cash-out unused vacation time and extra compensatory time. Unused vacation will be lost. Officers will be allowed to bank 40 more hours of compensatory time than previously allowed. The clothing allowance for officers will also be eliminated in favor of 16 flexible hours that can be used at any time as long as it doesn't result in overtime pay.

In return, the county agreed to forego any potential for layoffs in 2010. All the provisions of the union's regular contract come back into place as of Dec. 1, 2010.

Those concessions will help Perez address an expected budget deficit of about $817,000 for the current fiscal year. In addition, Perez eliminated the positions of under sheriff and commander of administration Monday. The concessions and the staff cuts had Perez feeling like he'd answered critics who said he couldn't balance his budget nor lay off employees who were his friends.

"Economically, you can see where it made sense," Perez said of the latest staff cuts. "I had to do it. But from a friendship standpoint, an emotional standpoint, I've been through the wringer the last few days. I saw the potential for layoffs. I figured if it's going to happen, I might as well just make the move no matter how much it hurts."

Eliminating the two positions will save the county $226,000 in a full fiscal year. With those cuts, Perez said there should be no more talk of his department being top heavy. Under Perez' leadership, the rank of captain was eliminated completely. And three lieutenant spots and one commander position will be cut via attrition. That leaves Perez with a command staff of seven people, not including himself, and a total staff of 86 sworn officers.

"How are they going to say I'm top heavy now?" Perez said. "I'm working with fewer deputies than this department has ever had since I've been an employee here. I'm working with less money, but we've reduced crime in Kane County. We're accomplishing our goals. Anybody who wants to criticize me, go ahead."

Perez said that, in hindsight, the changes being made now would've been even more timely in 2009.

"I'm not going to point the finger of blame," Perez said. "All of us who were involved in the process (in 2009) made mistakes."

A union spokesman did not respond to an interview request.