Otoe County rescinds layoffs -- for now

 1 comment(s)  
 E-mail Story
 Print Story
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

Tools Sponsor

By the Lincoln Journal Star

The Otoe County Board of Commissioners on Friday rescinded temporarily its Aug. 12 decision to end the jobs of seven county roads workers.

The unanimous vote at a brief emergency meeting in Nebraska City followed a midweek admonishment from Attorney General Jon Bruning, who said the board’s Aug. 12 action violated the state open meetings law.

Friday’s vote gives a momentary reprieve to the workers, whose layoffs had been set for Labor Day. But Board Chairman Dale Haverty said the layoffs could be considered again as early as Sept. 9, the commissioners’ next scheduled meeting.

On Aug. 12, without prior notice or public discussion, the board cut seven of the county’s 21 roads department jobs, citing the need to fill a budget shortfall.

The action was challenged by the Nebraska Public Employees Union Local 251, which represents the workers.

Bruning chastised the board for acting without giving “reasonable notice (to the employees) of the board’s desire to eliminate their positions.”

But the attorney general also said the board could reconsider its actions “in a properly constituted public meeting.”