No Public Safety Layoffs

[Mikemarsh51]

Our Union President was notified by the Fire Chief on Friday the 11th and was told there will be no layoffs of personnel this fiscal year. This came from city manager Jim Couch. Can I say a hearty "Thank You"!!!!!!

[Spartan]

They should have just told Chief Citty. Start taking proactive steps to shun the union..

I am glad to hear this though. And I see on the paper's website where they just initiated a batch of new trainees.

[LakeEffect]

They should have just told Chief Citty. Start taking proactive steps to shun the union..

I am glad to hear this though. And I see on the paper's website where they just initiated a batch of new trainees.

Wrong Chief. Citty is Police Chief, Bryant is Fire Chief.

[betts]

That's very good to hear.

[LakeEffect]

I knew that City Council was reviewing each department's budget cut ideas on December 8, but they did it in Executive Session, so citizens couldn't watch. I guess the cut is going to be on the other departments...

[betts]

I know there's not a lot we can do to help, but I really think people living in Oklahoma City should make every effort to shop here. Before I buy anything online, I always think, "Could I buy this anywhere in Okahoma City?" If the answer is yes or maybe, I make sure I try to do so. Frequently the tax savings from online shopping are similar to the shipping charges, and so it's not a big money savings to buy online. But regardless, even if I save a little online, I figure it's worth it to shop here to help the city out even a little.

[andy157]

I knew that City Council was reviewing each department's budget cut ideas on December 8, but they did it in Executive Session, so citizens couldn't watch. I guess the cut is going to be on the other departments...

Lets hope it doesn't cost anybody their job in any department.

[LakeEffect]

I know there's not a lot we can do to help, but I really think people living in Oklahoma City should make every effort to shop here. Before I buy anything online, I always think, "Could I buy this anywhere in Okahoma City?" If the answer is yes or maybe, I make sure I try to do so. Frequently the tax savings from online shopping are similar to the shipping charges, and so it's not a big money savings to buy online. But regardless, even if I save a little online, I figure it's worth it to shop here to help the city out even a little.

Unfortunately, many people don't look at shopping in that manner (I'm with you on it though). A co-worker and I were discussing people's lack of understanding of sales tax and where it goes/what it does just the other day. Is that something that should be taught in school? Parenting? It really is important, whether or not people realize it.

[LakeEffect]

Lets hope it doesn't cost anybody their job in any department.

I've heard about possible cuts, but I haven't actually seen any documents or the proposals...

[Decious]

Awesome! Did the police department receive the same news? I know that they just initiated 34 new officers. What's the story there?

[kevinpate]

What a difference a week makes.

[Decious]

What a difference a week makes.

No kidding. Glad OKC turned it's head slightly to the left and avoided drowning in an inch of water.

Really. I'm happy that the news thus far is good post Maps3. Hopefully the economy rebounds more sharply early next year and we avoid layoffs in all city departments. Thirty four new police officers and no fire layoffs. Great news!

Imagine if this news had come out after a Maps3 defeat this past Tuesday. What a pseudo chain of effed up reasoning that would've created. Eww.

[OUGrad05]

I'm glad to hear this, much of my family was deadset against maps and I have family in law enforcement who think the union is 100% honest 100% of the time. The city played dirty as did the union, I'm not trying to give anyone a pass but the union made things out to be so bad it was just laughable, but people believed it...

Glad to hear the city is taking public safety seriously.

[MikeOKC]

What's the story on the police helicopter? Are there funding issues with the chopper? You don't see it up nearly as often as you once did. I remember hearing talk about grounding the helicopter except for use in felony cases. Am I right about that? Honestly, it might have been another city, but I know I don't see it nearly as often as I once did.

[OUGrad05]

What's the story on the police helicopter? Are there funding issues with the chopper? You don't see it up nearly as often as you once did. I remember hearing talk about grounding the helicopter except for use in felony cases. Am I right about that? Honestly, it might have been another city, but I know I don't see it nearly as often as I once did.

Tulsa did that, last I heard OKC was still flying theirs.

[soonerguru]

Our Union President was notified by the Fire Chief on Friday the 11th and was told there will be no layoffs of personnel this fiscal year. This came from city manager Jim Couch. Can I say a hearty "Thank You"!!!!!!

First of all, let me say I'm thrilled that there will be no layoffs.

Now, I would like to ask some of the gloom and doom MAPS opponents: would you have so harshly opposed MAPS if you had known no layoffs were coming?

As memory serves, several posters on here claimed there was a plan in place that would eliminate as many as 100 jobs. This was presented here as fact, and those questioning the claim's veracity were treated to all variety of derision.

It's weird that two days after MAPS passed there's an article in the Oklahoman celebrating the hiring of 34 new police officers.

The real question is how badly were the police and fire union MAPS opponents lying to us on this board? Or, is the better question, how badly were the union leaders lying to their members? Either way, the dire predictions -- which were presented to this board as fact -- were clearly not true.

Those of us who questioned these dire predictions were treated as ignoramuses -- or even liars -- by the posters here who were peddling them. We were told the layoffs were a done deal. Obviously this was not the case.

What a disaster this would have been if the anti-MAPS crowd had been able to scare enough people into voting against MAPS. Remember, by their own admission they were going door to door talking about the imminent layoff of public safety personnel, and even suggesting that the passage of MAPS would lead to additional job losses.

To me, this is rather infuriating.

[OUGrad05]

First of all, let me say I'm thrilled that there will be no layoffs.

Now, I would like to ask some of the gloom and doom MAPS opponents: would you have so harshly opposed MAPS if you had known no layoffs were coming?

As memory serves, several posters on here claimed there was a plan in place that would eliminate as many as 100 jobs. This was presented here as fact, and those questioning the claim's veracity were treated to all variety of derision.

It's weird that two days after MAPS passed there's an article in the Oklahoman celebrating the hiring of 34 new police officers.

The real question is how badly were the police and fire union MAPS opponents lying to us on this board? Or, is the better question, how badly were the union leaders lying to their members? Either way, the dire predictions -- which were presented to this board as fact -- were clearly not true.

Those of us who questioned these dire predictions were treated as ignoramuses -- or even liars -- by the posters here who were peddling them. We were told the layoffs were a done deal. Obviously this was not the case.

What a disaster this would have been if the anti-MAPS crowd had been able to scare enough people into voting against MAPS. Remember, by their own admission they were going door to door talking about the imminent layoff of public safety personnel, and even suggesting that the passage of MAPS would lead to additional job losses.

To me, this is rather infuriating.

Well said, I went rounds with several family members who got their info from the union and the gloom/doom was insane even when I presented data in a factual and level headed manner referencing prior city projects, it did no good, they kept saying and actually believed the city was out to "get" fire and police.

Some councilors supposedly have paid the video vigilante to find police officers specifically and edit video to make the department look bad.

This makes no sense to go after your own police department and furthermore if a scandal was uncovered it would make the mayor, city management and the chief all look bad so I find that whole notion ahrd to swallow.

I dont care if someone was against the project, my uncle was against it but had some reasonable and well thought out reasons for his opposition. If I lived in OKC it would have received my vote...it's ashame that people on both sides of the isle believe the indoctrination spewed by a few.

[Mikemarsh51]

Soonerguru, it really sounds like your looking for a fight. I'm not looking for that, I will give you what I was told. The Fire chief came to my station and wrote this on the board. I was told that these cuts were to be voted on by the council on 12/15/09.

2% bugdet cuts city wide-
Loss of 2 Engine companies, E-51 and E-4 and Brush pumper 4. That total's 29 positions-
Loss of 11 civilian positions, they are gone, the positions have been elimenated-
3% budget cuts after 7/1/10-

Now I don't know how you want to spin that. That is the information our department head relayed to us. I'm a union member and I posted these facts here and if that means that I was lying to you all badly then I don't know what else to say.

[Spartan]

Wrong Chief. Citty is Police Chief, Bryant is Fire Chief.

I meant police because I went on to mention the new initiates.. I brought up police because you titled the thread "No Public Safety Layoffs." But you're right, I should read your post more carefully and at least made a segway mentioning fire in the beginning..

[rcjunkie]

Thanks to a few friendly "JABS" from a couple of firemen on this and other threads, I finally woke up from a POST MAPS DAZE, went to Dr. Relax and took my CHILL PILLS. I think it's time everyone does the same, and let's work to make this City better than it is.

[LakeEffect]

It may very well be that other City departments were able to cover the 2% for Fire and Police in their own budgets, or some other financial finagling was done. The 2% may have been from other things in their own budgets, just not personnel. People should come to City Council on Tuesday and ask... or maybe John Estus/Bryan Dean should write a story (if they are still covering City Hall for the Oklahoman).

[Larry OKC]

It's weird that two days after MAPS passed there's an article in the Oklahoman celebrating the hiring of 34 new police officers.

if not mistaken, all of the new officers were graduates of the OKC police academy. These "new hires" were known well in advance. Apparently if you graduate, you are hired? Are these actually additional officers or are they just replacing ones lost through retirement etc? When it is all said and done, are the staffing numbers the same?

[rcjunkie]

Since my retirement from the OKC Parks Department, I've kept in touch with a couple of supervisor's/managers, their telling me that they are hearing there's no layoff's, however,the hiring freeze that has been in place for several months will remain until ???
They feel as though they can meet budget reductions by cutting from other sources; new equipment, supply's, etc.

[mrbob]

I have been on some other sites and most folks are saying they won't shop in Okc unless the have to. Most are going to warr acres, bethany, midwest city and moore/norman. Whats that say for the city of oklahoma city. Not good news.

[LakeEffect]

I have been on some other sites and most folks are saying they won't shop in Okc unless the have to. Most are going to warr acres, bethany, midwest city and moore/norman. Whats that say for the city of oklahoma city. Not good news.

But why do they say that? OKC's sales tax is lower... doesn't make sense.