Vernon to lay off 10 employees

Vernon — Some municipal employees will lose their jobs to help Vernon Township balance its budget. At the council meeting held March 4, Robin Kline, who serves as Acting Township Manager and Township Clerk, reported that the township will start the process of laying off 10 municipal employees. Targeted are five administrative positions, three employees of the Department of Public Works, including the supervisor, and two police officers. “It is difficult but it is a necessity,” Kline told the audience, and she cited rising costs “that are not under our control.” It has been suggested that the potential to lay off all 10 could be offset if some employees retire. Meanwhile, the process is being discussed with union representatives. Vincent Speziale, supervisor of the township’s Department of Public Works, addressed the council during the budget meeting, reading a statement he drafted along with Mark Izzo and Bob Oakley, employees of the department, in which they said: “A layoff will unavoidably affect the services and safety of residents.” Speziale also told the council that no replacements were made for the last two positions that were vacated, which is taxing on the men and the equipment. During the regular council meeting that evening, Izzo read the same statement aloud and said of the possibility of being laid off, “property taxes are raised and services are compromised.” He also commented that the DPW workers live in town. Grouping the police layoffs together with DPW layoffs, Izzo said, would have an adverse affect on Vernon’s residents. During his report Police Chief Roy Wherry said that his department is already shorthanded. During the meeting, the audience was shown a video of DPW employee Jennifer Ruess’ ride along with a plowing crew during the last major snow storm. She said she was “speechless when I got back and it is overwhelming what these guys go through.” Kline told the council during her report that the DPW logged in 707 hours of work time during this storm.