INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Some are calling it a crisis averted.
June 18, District 2 Councilman Curt Dougherty proposed slashing nine jobs at Independence Power and Light to save taxpayers $1 million a year.
Dougherty suggested cutting the following positions:
- Economic planning and rates manager
- Utility project development manager
- Environmental health & safety environmental program supervisor
- Safety & training specialists (2)
- GIS supervisor
- Engineering (3)
The vote was close but ultimately passed. On June 25th, that vote was overturned.
At-Large Councilwoman Karen DeLuccie called an emergency meeting saying the decision to cut positions violates the city charter and the budget was already balanced.
Councilwoman Karen DeLuccie called an emergency meeting in the @CityOfIndepMO tonight after Councilman Curt Dougherty proposed slashing 9 positions at the city power company, saving $1M. It passed.
Here’s an exchange from the meeting a week ago today: pic.twitter.com/K58IGScPVN
— Dia Wall (@DiaWall) June 25, 2018
Andy Boatwright, Deputy Director Independence Power & Light, told the city council, “There are meaningful, productive, thoughtful and moral ways to cut costs.”
“The city council and the mayor need to be looking out for the citizens, not for the employees,” Former Independence Councilwoman Lucy Young said. She agreed with the original motion.
In his motion, Dougherty argued IPL only produces 1.7 percent of the energy used in Independence and the city does not burn coal anymore. Adding that an outside firm does rate studies and services are often subcontracted.
Young agrees with the cuts because, “Our rates are higher than what KCP&L pays and that’s unfair to the people and the residents that are here.”
41 Action News found rates are almost equal to other parts of the metro.
DeLuccie agrees that IP&L needs to be, “leaner and meaner,” but feels it is not the city’s job to instruct the agency on how.
