CHEYENNE MAYOR RICK KAYSEN MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY NOBODY REALLY WANTED TO HEAR.  BUT MOST HAD A PRETTY GOOD IDEA IT WAS COMING…(Click to hear from Mayor Kaysen)

KAYSEN SAYS THE DECISION TO CUT THE 20 POSITIONS CAME DOWN TO THE BUDGET PROBLEMS THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN FACING…(Click to hear comment from Mayor Kaysen)

CUTTING THE 20 JOBS WILL SAVE THE CITY 208 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE REST OF THIS BUDGET CYCLE, AND AN ESTIMATED 907 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.  COMBINE THAT WITH THE DOLLARS SAVED FROM THE 19 EMPLOYEES WHO OPTED FOR THE VOLUNTARY RETIRMENT PROGRAM AND THE CITY WILL SAVE A COMBINED 589 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THIS YEAR, AND 2.4 MILLION DOLLARS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011.

KAYSEN SAYS THE EMPLOYEES AFFECTED WILL BE NOTIFIED TODAY OF THE CUTS.   TWO OF THE POSITIONS BEING ELIMINATED WILL COME FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT NO OFFICERS WILL BE LET GO.

THE LAID-OFF EMPLOYEES WILL RECEIVE BENEFITS THROUGH APRIL, AND WILL BE FULLY COMENSATED FOR ALL VACTION TIME ACCRUED AND ONE HALF OF SICK TIME UP TO 240 HOUORS.