Two employees in the Oak Park Building and Property Standards department were laid off Friday, as a result of dwindling revenues at village hall. Oak Park is more than $400,000 behind in its projections for how much it will take in from building permits. But the two layoffs will result in the village saving far less in employee costs.
Dan Jakes, assistant director for Building and Property Standards since 2003, was earning $82,900, while John Chledowski, a code-compliance officer since 2003, was earning $57,600.
Village Manager Tom Barwin worked with Steve Witt, the head of Building and Property Standards, in determining which positions could be cut while still providing the same services to the community, said David Powers, village spokesman. The layoffs had nothing to do with performance, he added.
Depending on how revenues come in over the final five months of the year, more layoffs are a possibility. The village did not cut positions to equal the amount of lost revenues because revenues might rebound.
-Marty Stempniak
