North Chicago’s police and fire department employees can breathe easy, for now, as a looming threat to cut their staff has officially been taken off the table when the City Council voted this week to pass the 2018-19 budget without any layoffs.
Council members had been stalling approval of the new fiscal year’s budget, which began on May 1, unsure of which recommendations presented by city Comptroller Daniela Partipilo would trim a $1 million deficit without eliminating emergency services and cutting wages to its non-union employees.
Prior to the 5-2 vote Monday to approve a budget that includes no cuts to wages, Ald. Carl Evans said, “I refuse to cut anybody’s salary.” However, the package does add a salary freeze to personnel who fall under the city’s salary ordinance.
Partipilo said those affected by the freeze include roughly 32 employees in managerial positions in the fire and police departments, as well as non-union comptroller department personnel and the deputy city clerk.