Plans proposed to rehire 18 laid off Yukon employees were approved by the City Council during a meeting Tuesday night at The Centennial Building.
City Manager Jim Crosby said the funds to cover rehiring the workers includes $75,000 from the city’s hotel/motel tax and another $138,000 from the Yukon Public Employees Sales tax. He said the money would pay for the employees through the end of the fiscal year, June 30. The city’s finances will have to be reviewed in June when the sales tax reports are in, reports that are not expected to be positive.
On April 9, Crosby laid off the employees due to the shortfall of sales tax revenue during the COVID-19 crisis.
The rehiring of employees will help to reopen the Yukon Community Center and Jackie Cooper Gym.
“We’d like to get them back to make sure the buildings are clean and free of virus and everything else and treat for that and get those open we hope by the end of the week, and if not by the 18th,” Crosby said.
He said he thinks all employees will return except one person who may retire.
“They will all be given the opportunity,” Crosby said.
Councilman Jeff Wootton, at-large, who was elected asvice-mayor by the council Tuesday night, thanked Crosby for reconsidering the layoffs and coming up with the plan to rehire the employees.
Councilwoman Donna Yanda said she expects the downturn in sales tax revenue to continue, however.
“I’m really concerned about that,” Yanda said.
The council voted 3-2 to approve the plan to rehire the employees.
Selby,Wootton and Gilliland voted yes and Cacini and Yanda voted no.
Read more in The Yukon Progress and at yukonprogress.com
