Kettering to furlough 240 part-time workers

City officials announced that more than 200 part-time workers are going to be furloughed due to the fiscal impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Approximately 240 part-time City of Kettering employees will be furloughed or laid off on Monday, April 27, depending on their part-time employee status, according to spokeswoman Mary Azbill.

She added that no full-time employees have been impacted so far. Over 90% of the affected part-time employees work in the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department in positions associated with the numerous programs and classes hosted at various city facilities.

City Manager Mark Schwieterman said it’s a very unfortunate situation that the COVID-19 crisis has caused.

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“The city prides itself on the exceptional service its employees provide our residents and businesses,” Schwieterman said. “It is unfortunate that we need to take these actions. We are grateful for the service these employees give to our community, and we look forward to the day they can come back and provide excellent service to our residents. The health and safety of our residents is top priority, and we look forward to offering the amenities and programs they enjoy.”

Many cities across the region have been struggling during the pandemic as Dayton already has furloughed 479 workers, and the city has asked department directors to look at making 18% budget cuts across the board.

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Kettering has $68.5 million in the general fund (expenses and transfers) for the city’s 2020 budget and has a projected income tax revenue for the 2020 budget estimated at $52,260,000 — 79% of the general fund revenue.

“A number of city facilities have closed during the pandemic resulting in numerous program cancellations, especially in connection with our Recreation and Cultural Arts programs,” Schwieterman told the Dayton Daily News. “We have also implemented alternative work schedules and locations to assist in complying with social distancing while, at the same time, delivering core services to our residents and businesses.”

He said his administration will be working with City Council to propose expenditure reductions to assist in covering the anticipated decline in revenues—specifically the income tax revenue.

“We anticipate significant reductions in equipment and infrastructure improvements as well as cancellation of some programs and events,” he said. “We will continue to assess the situation and make recommendations regarding the long-term sustainability of the 2020, and beyond budgets.”

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