County Executive's Office: MCGEO Testimony on Budget "Not Accurate" (Updated)

In a comment on this blog, County Executive spokesman Patrick Lacefield said that MCGEO President Gino Renne's testimony on the Executive's planned workforce reductions is "not accurate." We reprint Lacefield's comment below.

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The information presented in MCGEO testimony before County Council, stating that the Health & Human Services Department is proposing the elimination of 115 work years, with only 2.6 of those coming from management, was not accurate.

Although the Department's budget proposes the reduction of 115.4 workyears, 40.2 of those workyears are associated with the furlough (which include and also apply to management), 22.2 are accounted for in the reduction of one hour per day in the schedule of the School Health Room Aides, and 18.5 are associated with the reduction of the group position in the Conservation Corps. The remaining 34.5 workyears reflect net position changes.

In terms of actual position abolishments, 31 are full year position abolishments (the complete position is being abolished) and 9 are mid-year position abolishments for a total of 40 positions. Of the 40 positions, 23 are vacant and 17 are filled, 33 are in the bargaining unit and 7 are non-bargaining. When compared to our current personnel complement, which includes 81.5% bargaining and 18.5% non-bargaining, the ratio of bargaining to non-bargaining abolishments is comparable.

Of the 17 filled positions, 11 positions are in the bargaining unit and 6 are non-bargaining. In this case, 65% are in the bargaining unit and 35% are non-bargaining. The Department's record in filling positions, particularly at the line staff level, is reflected in a recent review of hires from January 2008 through March 2010. During that period, 184 individuals were hired from outside of the Department. 153 of these employees (83.2%) were hired into bargaining unit positions while 31 employees (16.8%) were hired into non-bargaining positions.

Patrick Lacefield
Director
Montgomery County Office of Public Information

Update: Gail Heath, Special Assistant to MCGEO President Gino Renne, wrote in response:

If you look at the breakdown they gave, you will see that they are disproportionately to our membership. The only person effected by the school health hour reduction are the School Health Room Aides, all female and all bargaining unit members. Again, Conservation Corps, they are all bargaining unit positions. The HHS cuts are overwhelming at the expense of our membership. In the meantime, they have been not only creating new management positions, but promoting people higher up into management, including in School Health were a nurse manager was promoted to nurse administrator less than a week before the budget was announced March 15. They also just added a PAA position April 5. I have emails to verify both, sent out to School Health by management.