Village Lays Off 8 Public Works Employees

Eight full-time employees within the Falls Public Works Department were laid off last week as a result of department reorganization and financial considerations.

Village Manager Mark Fitzgerald said the eight employees, who were maintenance workers in the department, were let go May 22.

Fitzgerald said the decision to lay off employees was based on two considerations. First, the entire Public Works Department is being reorganized and all department employees will relocate to the Good Hope Road facility. Fitzgerald said they are closing the Water Street facility, and employees will vacate that building by the end of the week.

Secondly, a slow economy has also slowed growth. Fitzgerald said the Public Works Department was losing money as growth stalled.

“Reduction in force goes beyond pure budgetary numbers,” Fitzgerald said. “We are in a non-growth economy right now, and within levy limits, utilities are stagnant and losing revenues. This accounts for those circumstances. We’re also centralizing everyone into the Good Hope Road facility.”

Fitzgerald said the reduction in staff translates to a net savings of roughly $750,000.

“These were pure layoffs and was done as a reduction in force, there are no negatives regarding these employees,” Fitzgerald said. “We reduced force and will move forward. All of these employees were in good standing.”

Fitzgerald said the village has offered the eight employees a severance package, and has also connected them with a placement service to find a new job.

“We are doing the best we can given difficult circumstances,” Fitzgerald said.