Concerned about plans to bring a 7-Eleven into his Annapolis neighborhood, Dirk Geratz had planned to meet with an employee from the city's Planning Department at the site of the proposed store to go over the details.
But before the meeting took place, the employee was laid off last week in a flurry of cuts to the city's work force as Annapolis Mayor Joshua J. Cohen worked to eliminate a record budget deficit.
The meeting was the kind of high-level service to which Annapolitans have grown accustomed. Some worry it might now disappear under Cohen's $80 million budget proposal, which includes layoffs and other cuts to nearly every city department.
"I'm really sad to hear about the employees who have been let go and how that's going to translate down to the individual property owner," said Geratz, president of the Murray Hill Residents' Association. "It's pretty devastating for a small town. I know these people that got laid off. ... Hopefully, volunteer groups can fill the gaps in the government."
As residents debated the effect of the cuts - including a decrease in the frequency of trash collection - some aldermen on Tuesday echoed Cohen's warning that more cuts are likely as his proposal comes under council scrutiny.
"I think we have more to go," said Alderman Ross H. Arnett, an Eastport Democrat. "I think he made a very good first cut and was very courageous in the way he did it, but I don't think we're there yet. There's more bloodshed to occur, unfortunately."
Cohen laid off 33 employees beginning last Friday, a mix of contract employees and civil service personnel. Without $2.4 million in union concessions, Cohen said, he would make more cuts. The layoffs left intact the city's police force, though Cohen said he could not promise public safety would remain untouched if there are not police and firefighter union concessions.
The president of the police union could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Announcing his budget on Monday, Cohen said he took a "balanced and equitable approach" by eliminating positions in every city department except the law office to eliminate the $8 million deficit for fiscal year 2011. He said he "inherited a financial train wreck," and "deeply regretted" the layoffs. Former Annapolis Mayor Ellen O. Moyer, Cohen's immediate predecessor and a fellow Democrat, said Cohen was playing the "blame game." She said she left the city in a healthy fiscal state.
"He's weakening the city so much," said Moyer, who said Cohen should have used furloughs. "I just think [layoffs are] a draconian measure."
Cohen's budget calls for the elimination of another 52 positions. Of these, 38 are already vacant. The rest would be eliminated July 1.
His proposal would decrease spending by 7.5 percent compared to last year's budget and would not increase taxes. It would eliminate the directors of economic development, central services and emergency management and reassign their employees to other departments.
The proposal would reduce trash pickup from twice to once weekly and eliminate parking enforcement officers, who would likely be replaced by contract workers.
Bevin Buchheister, president of the Ward One Residents' Association, said less trash pickup is "not a huge hardship when they're firing people."
"We've really inherited a tough situation," Buchheister said. "I think our city payroll grew over the last few years, and in good times we could sustain it. I work for the state ... we got 10 days of furlough this year. It's hitting everyone and we're not immune to it."
The budget would also cut nonprofit grant funding to about $200,000.
Alderwoman Classie G. Hoyle, who said Cohen "rushed" in laying off employees, said she's already gotten panicked calls from heads of some nonprofits that receive grants from the city.
"There are services that we get from our nonprofits that the city can't afford to do on their own," said Hoyle, chair of the council's Finance Committee. "My displeasure with this budget is that 33 people took the brunt of 700 employees. That is unfair. We should have went with a program where all employees share that burden."
Jay Tucker, president of the union that represents the city's trades and maintenance workers, said the union is "willing to work with them to a certain extent."