City of Rowlett to lay off employees Monday

Several City of Rowlett employees will be laid off on Monday.

City Manager Lynda Humble said that the city eliminated positions based on functional needs of the department.

"No one is being removed because they haven’t done a good job," Humble said at the City Council work session Tuesday night. "These are just difficult economic times."

The city manager will meet with the affected employees personally Monday and will give them a packet including positive letters of reference, termination instructions and a severance agreement. She refused to say how many employees will lose their jobs.

"I plan to meet with the departments impacted by the rift," Humble said. "I’m in the process of scheduling budget meetings with all the affected departments next week so the employees can hear exactly what decisions were made and why."

Laid-off employees will have the option to leave work Monday or continue to work through July 17. They will continue to receive paychecks and be covered by the city's insurance through Sept. 30. Extensive employee assistance will be provided as well as counseling services offered to affected employees and departments.

Mayor Pro Tem Steve Maggiotto asked that the city manager consider whether it was necessary to continue paying former employees through Sept. 30 if they found a job before that time. City Attorney David Berman said discussion of a severance package made him nervous, as the city government must be careful not to misuse public funds for private gain.

However, Mayor John Harper and Humble dismissed comparisons to private sector severance packages.

"If there is an element of generosity to these severance packets, it is due to the current economy," Harper said.

"In past reductions, most employees had new jobs in 30 days," Humble said. "I'm really not confident that will be the case this time. We will give as much assistance to these employees as possible."

Humble said that she will present the council with a new budget on Aug. 4 with the reduction in force changes already made.

"My commitment is to make a budget that will make our organization healthy," Humble said. "Any reduction force decisions that have to be made are the toughest a city manager can make. Any decisions were made after a lot of sweat and anguish."

Humble will inform the council of reduction decisions Monday, after the employees are identified.

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