City Attorney Tom Meyer Laid Off as Cedar Falls Anticipates Budget Shortfall

Cedar Falls City Attorney Tom Meyer's job has been eliminated, effective April 1, as city leaders try to address a potential future budget shortfall.

Meyer, who was hired in 2011 and moved here from Mason City, made $150,000 in salary and benefits, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported. Instead, the city can pay $2,500 a month, or $30,000 a year, to retain Ahlers law firm of Des Moines.

The measure will apparently not be the last action the city takes to find savings.

The city has posted a call to action online and in the Currents newsletter, asking community members for ideas on how to trim the Cedar Falls budget:

For a number of years, increases in operating expenses have exceeded the income from new revenues.

The City Council has created a task force, made up of city staff, to develop a five year Operating Budget Shortfall Recovery plan to avoid a future financial crisis.

The task force is made up of City staff and will complete the plan during the next 24 months. The City Council understands that organizational change will be required to make the necessary changes in operating expenses, but by developing a five year plan these changes can be implemented stategically over time.

Input is being collected from employees, but we would like citizen input as well. If you have suggestions for the taskforce, please feel free to submit your ideas to Richard McAlister, Director of Administrative Services, at (319) 268-5117, or contact him via email.

Cedar Falls Mayor Jon Crews, City Clerk Jennifer Rodenbeck and McAlister did not immediately return messages asking for comment Wednesday afternoon.