Flaggs proposes city employee layoffs and sets out gradual plan to re-open businesses

During his live Q&A session on Tuesday, evening, Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs outlined how much revenue the city was losing under COVID-19 restrictions including a lack of casino and hotel revenue.

To continue to pay 412 employees without additional revenue will cause the city to go into a budgetary shortfall situation, he said.

“That don’t make no sense to a drunk man,” Flaggs said.

As a stop gap measure, Flaggs presented a proposal for city employee layoffs. His proposal might include:

• 12% termination of employees
  • Eliminating/Combining positions
  • Eliminating/Combining departments
  • Outsourcing services
• 5% across-the-board pay cut
• Layoff of employees with less than 1-year, 3-years or 5-years of service.

Flaggs also set out a specific way to gradually re-open all businesses in Vicksburg. His recommendations for reopening sectors of the local economy would be as permitted and with guidance from the governor, the Mississippi State Department of Health and the CDC, he said. No part of the proposal can go into effect without similar guidance from the governor’s office:

WEEK 1: Restaurants, barber shops, beauty salons, massage, nail and day spas, tattoo parlors, tanning salons, and pet grooming services allowed to resume some business operations under the strict health guidelines announced by Mayor Flaggs on April 21.

WEEK 2: Recreation facilities such as parks and playgrounds allowed to reopen (this also includes gyms and fitness facilities).

WEEK 3: Sports Force Parks on the Mississippi, dance studios, and children’s party and play facilities allowed to reopen.

WEEK 4: Church and funeral services allowed to resume.

WEEK 5: Bars, lounges, night clubs, the Vicksburg Convention Center, and City Auditorium allowed to reopen.

WEEK 6: Swimming pools allowed to reopen.

WEEK 7: Museums and tourist destinations allowed to reopen.

WEEK 8: Senior Center allowed to reopen.

Throughout the re-opening, businesses should encourage employees to wear masks, practice proper hand hygiene and observe social distancing.