JCC Makes Plans for Layoffs, Outlaws Skateboards and Bikes on Sidewalks

By Desiree Parker Wednesday, January 27, 2010

At their meeting Tuesday evening, James City County supervisors voted to approve two personnel cost-cutting policies and an ordinance to prohibit skateboards, bikes and the like on certain county sidewalks.

At their budget retreat Saturday, the board discussed ways the county could cut costs to plug an expected $5 million budget shortfall. On Tuesday, Human Resource Manager Carol Luckam presented two new policies to the board that would help save some funds: a change in the leave without pay policy to allow for furloughs, and a staff attrition incentive program.

The furlough policy would allow the county administrator to authorize a furlough if it’s deemed necessary, and the board approved it unanimously.

At the budget retreat, supervisors also discussed the need to eliminate 38.5 positions in the upcoming budget. The county administrator said there were 18.5 positions that could go unfilled, leaving 20 to be eliminated. The new attrition policy would offer employees who choose to leave by February 28 a payment of 10 percent of the employee’s salary along with 15 months of stimulus-funded healthcare coverage if the employee is eligible for COBRA.

Under this new policy, the employee would pay only 35 percent of monthly premium rates versus the 102 percent they would normally pay through COBRA.
Employees who volunteer and are accepted to just have their position reduced to part-time starting by March 1 will also be eligible for the one-time payment of 10 percent of their salary. They would not be eligible for the stimulus-funded healthcare payment. Supervisors approved this plan unanimously.

The board also discussed a new ordinance that would prohibit the use of skateboards, bicycles and other similar devices along designated sidewalks in the county. The change was suggested after numerous issues with kids in New Town riding bikes (and to a lesser extent, skateboards) along busy sidewalks in the development.

Police Chief Emmett Harmon told the board police officers who patrol there, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings, see the dangerous behavior but can’t take enforcement measures.

The ordinance would only affect whatever sidewalks in the county the county administrator selects. Also, the police chief has to make specific findings and document incidents as well as make attempts to find other ways to resolve the problem before further action would be taken against offenders, deputy county attorney Adam Kinsman explained.

Chairman Jim Kennedy didn’t like the idea that a New Town issue would result in an ordinance that would affect the whole county, or that it might mean more police presence (and taxpayer funds) in New Town. “I understand we’re having some problems in New Town,” he said, “but how many other places do we have this problem? And are we going to ticket 3-year-olds?” he joked.

“I didn’t want to have police there all the time, I’ve said it before,” Kennedy said. He also was concerned other neighborhoods would want enforcement of this ordinance, too.

Supervisor John McGlennon pointed out that New Town doesn’t accommodate alternative vehicles like bikes, and that he would support the ordinance to keep people safer. He liked that it would involve very limited enforcement.
Supervisors voted to adopt the ordinance 3-2, with Mary Jones and Kennedy dissenting.