Kudos to Hollister’s police and firefighters who want to give
back to the city $26,000 in compensation time they accrued while
working on the National Day of Mourning for former President Ronald
Reagan.
Kudos to Hollister’s police and firefighters who want to give back to the city $26,000 in compensation time they accrued while working on the National Day of Mourning for former President Ronald Reagan.
When city unions asked for the day off, it cost the city of Hollister $58,000. Councilman Tony LoBue said giving workers federal holidays off is part of the union contract and the Council had no choice. Police and firefighters had to work regardless so they got comp time instead of time off.
But the firefighters’ union already voted to give back the comp time. The Police Officers Association is slated to take a vote on the matter soon, and POA President Ray Wood has said officers he has talked to are open to the idea.
It would be a politically savvy move. When and if there comes a time that the city asks voters to pay a tax to bolster public safety, police and firefighters can point to this concession and say they are doing their share to help.
It would have been easy for police and firefighters to pocket the money. They certainly don’t have to give it back, but with the city in dire financial straits it is the right thing to do.
Hollister is struggling to keep afloat financially while providing services. Mayor Tony Bruscia is right that $26,000 won’t make a huge dent in the city’s budget problems – a $16 million deficit over the next five years. But he’s also right that it is a promising sign that employees are willing to work with city brass to solve financial problems. Police and firefighters are setting a good example for other employees to follow.
“Things like that go a long way in giving credibility to the employees being a part of the solution,” Bruscia said.
The city must look at long-term solutions to its budget problems. Employees of the city must play a role. During the City Council’s vote to retain 12 employees that were on the layoff list earlier this month, union officials said they would be willing to make concessions because the city is in a bind financially.
This is a good start. We’re eager to see what else employees are willing to do.
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