For Immediate Release:
January 23, 2009
Freeholder Director McMorrow seeks union input
Ideas sought to help trim the county’s 2009 budget
FREEHOLD – Freeholder Director Barbara J. McMorrow contacted leaders of the 23 county bargaining units today asking them to identify any savings in their respective departments.
“At last night’s Freeholder meeting, a number of the county’s union employees indicated that they had some concrete ideas about ways to help county government reduce expenditures,” McMorrow said. “I have asked union representatives to provide specific suggestions to me by Feb. 2. All suggestions from union members should be about savings in their own departments.”
Monmouth County government has predicted a budget shortfall for 2009 and has already determined that the county’s 1,089 nonunion personnel will not receive pay increases in 2009.
County Administrator Robert M. Czech met with union representatives two weeks ago and asked that members of all 23 bargaining units forgo salary increases this year to help the county during this economic downturn and reduce the possibility of layoffs among the county’s 3,505 member workforce.
“All suggestions to improve efficiencies within county government are welcome,” Freeholder Robert D. Clifton said. “Union leaders are well equipped to work with their members to identify meaningful savings in county government and we look forward to reading their ideas.”
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