Overland Park laying off workers

The second largest city in the metropolitan area is becoming the first one to - at least temporarily - lay off employees.

IN KANSAS CITY, EMMAJAMES, 41 ACTION NEWS.THE SECOND LARGESTCITY IN THE METRO ISBECOMING THE FIRST ONETO AT LEAST TEMPORARILYLAY OFF EMPLOYEES.OVERLAND PARK WILLBEGIN A FURLOUGH OF 200PART TIME EMPLOYEESBEGINNING SUNDAY.41 ACTION NEWSINVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK HAS THE DETAILSAND REACTION.CITY LEADERS ARE GOINGTO LOOK FOR OTHER PARTTIME WORK FOR AT LEASTSOME OF THOSEEMPLOYEES.IN ADDITION TO THEFURLOUGH, ALL OF THE1438 CITY EMPLOYEES AREHAVING THEIR CURRENTSALARIES FROZEN.MANY OF THOSEEMPLOYEES, INCLUDING INPUBLIC SAFETY, WEREDUE TO GET A PAY RAISE ACOUPLE DAYS AGO.SOME CITY COUNCILMEMBERS AND THEFRATERNAL ORDER OFPOLICE AREN'T HAPPYABOUT IT.FARIS FARASSATI/OVERLANDPARK CITY COUNCIL"WE JUST DON'T FIND IFTHAT NECESSARY TOPANIC SO EARLY ANDIMMEDIATELY PUT THEPRESSURE ON THE BACKOF OUR MOST SENSITIVEGROUP OF EMPLOYEESRIGHT NOW."COUNCILMAN FARISFARASSATI IS TALKINGABOUT OVERLAND PARKCITY MANAGER BILL EBEL'SDECISION TO FURLOUGHTWO HUNDRED PART TIMEEMPLOYEES... A SAVINGSOF ROUGHLY $80-THOUSAND DOLLARS AMONTH.THOSE PEOPLE WORK INTHE CITY'S TWOCURRENTLY CLOSEDCOMMUNITY CENTERSINCLUDING THE MATTROSS CENTER.ACCORDING TO A CITYSPOKESMAN THEFURLOUGHED POSITIONSINCLUDE DESK CLERKS,LIFEGUARDS, PERSONALTRAINERS AND CHILDWATCH OR CAREEMPLOYEES.FARIS FARASSATI/OVERLANDPARK CITY COUNCIL"IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUETHAT OUR CITY MANAGERHAS THE AUTHORITY TODO IT, BUT WE WANTEDTHIS TO BE DONE IN THECONSULTATION WITH THECOUNCIL."IN ADDITION TO THEFURLOUGHS, EBELDECIDED TO FREEZE ALLPAY INCREASES FOROVERLAND PARKEMPLOYEES WHICH WERESUPPOSED TO GO INTOEFFECT SUNDAY.IN THIS LETTER,FRATERNAL ORDER OFPOLICE PRESIDENT MIKEMOSHER NOTES THECITY'S COMPENSATIONPACKAGE WOULD'VEINCREASED PUBLICSAFETY SALARIESBETWEEN 2 AND 3-POINT-25 PERCENT.WITH OVER 225 POLICEOFFICERS, WHICH HENOTES , ARE ON THEFRONT LINES OF THISCOVID-19 FIGHT.

MOSHERWANTS THE CITY TOREVERSE ITS DECISIONAND DIP INTO ITS $48-POINT-8 MILLION DOLLAREMERGENCY OR RESERVEFUND.FARASSATI AND COUNCILMEMBERS SCOTT HAMBLINAND GINA BURKE AGREE.FARIS FARASSATI/OVERLANDPARK CITY COUNCIL"OUR MAIN OBJECTION ATTHIS POINT WAS TO THEFIRST RESPONDERS."WHY DID EBEL MAKE THEDECISION?MAJOR RETAILERS LIKETHE OAK PARK MALL, FOREXAMPLE ARE CLOSEDALONG WITH MANY OTHERBUSINESSES.A CITY SPOKESMAN SAYS36 PERCENT OF OVERLANDPARKS' REVENUE COMESFROM SALES TAXES.HOW BIG A REVENUE HITTHE CITY MAY TAKE ISUNCLEAR.MARCH FIGURES AREN'TEXPECTED UNTIL JUNE.DURING THE RECESSIONBETWEEN 2008 AND 2011, ACITY SPOKESMAN SAIDOVERLAND PARK TOOK $40MILLION DOLLARS OUT OFITS RESERVE FUND TOKEEP THE GOVERNMENTDOORS OPEN.HE NOTES IF YOU DIP INTOTHAT FUND TOO MUCH, ITAFFECTS THE CITY'SABILITY TO BORROWMONEY FOR PROJECTSLIKE ROAD AND OTHERINFRASTRUCTUREIMPROVEMENTS.I'M INVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK, 41 ACTION NE