Jaskiewicz Will Not Challenge Decision on HR Position

Mayor Joe Jaskiewicz said Monday afternoon that he will not veto the Town Council’s decision to cut funding for the human resources position.

The council voted to cut $59,999 from the $60,000 position.

“While I value the need for the human resources position,” Jaskiewicz said, “I am choosing not to veto the council’s decision, as I don’t see an end to the council’s questioning of the position.”

Argument over the position has gone on for months. Katherine Christopher, who currently holds the job, said during the most recent council meeting that she believes it is vital that the town has a human resources person.

There are “severe” issues in town, she said, and a professional human resources person is required to deal with them.

“If you eliminate the position, things will go back to the way they were done in the past,” she said.

Jaskiewicz said that in the past, the work of the human resources department had been done by his office, and his assistant Cathy Cubilla. That will be the system again, he thinks. Some of the duties will go to the Finance Department, too, he said.

“It’s a step backwards for the town,” he said. “At least the position is still there.”

Jaskiewicz said he also will veto the $6,750 the council added for council expenses.

“That’s ridiculous, as far as I’m concerned,” he said.

He also will veto the decision to cut the sand and salt budget by $40,000. The mayor’s budget took the five-year average, Jaskiewicz said, and that’s what the sand and salt budget should be.  

Jaskiewicz also said he would veto the move that put the money for road striping and drainage operations in the capital budget.

The funding for these annual projects belongs in the operating budget, Jaskiewicz said, and not in the capital budget.

In a letter sent to council members, council Chairman Donna Jacobson said Jaskiewicz also reinstated $8,000 for a part-time police officer.

Jacobson said that the mayor's vetoing of certain items in the budget is "quite frankly, not that simple."

"He has to have a balanced budget," she said. "I don't know if it's balanced yet." The budget can be reduced, she said, without altering the mill rate that the council has set, but said she would need a legal opinion on how to proceed, if the budget increases and changes the mill rate.

Council Vice Chairman Ellen Hillman said that she is disappointed that Jaskiewicz changed the budget but, "I don't think it will hurt the town." She doesn't plan to challenge the vetoes.

The council needs five votes to override a mayoral veto.

To read about the council’s budget decisions, click here.