About 200 people gathered in a lecture hall in Seton Hall's Jubilee Hall Monday night for the continuation of a Board of Trustee meeting that was adjourned the week before due to a turnout that exceeded Village Hall's capacity.

Just under 40 speakers took turns at the podium for two hours to weigh in on the Village's draft layoff plan, which proposes to eliminate 14 jobs with the object of narrowing a $5.1 million budget gap.

Before the public comment period began, Village Administrator John Gross made a presentation on the Village's budget predicament, which would necessitate a 26 percent municipal tax hike if no dramatic action is taken, averaging out to a $1,035 increase per South Orange home.

At their budget workshops, the Trustees have homed in on some belt-tightening measures—including the public employee pension deferral plan that Gov. Corzine is expected to sign into law—but the budget gap would still stand at $2.8 million, according to Gross. Layoffs would free up $1 million in 2009 and $1.5 million in 2010, but even if they're approved, municipal taxes will still go up 8.5 percent.

The largest contingent of attendees—identifiable by the orange ribbons pinned to their shirts and jackets—was protesting the proposed layoff of Assistant Director of Recreation and Cultural Affairs Judy Wukitsch. Speakers on her behalf commented on the importance of having a full-time professional to write grants and coordinate volunteers, and of the positive impact of an arts community on property values.

"By eliminating that position, you are gutting a brand: the Baird," said Susan Napack, a 10-year volunteer at the Baird, who worked to mobilize arts supporters to come to the meeting.

A contingent of five Department of Public Works employees also spoke, as well as the attorney for OPEIU Local 32, Kevin McGovern, who said Public Works had a disproportionate share of layoffs—five in total—since only $2.7 million of the Village's $22.2 million personnel budget goes to that department. Due to civil service rules, the laid-off employees would be the least senior and have the lowest salaries.

"What I did not see were people on the upper end of the wage scale," said McGovern, who added that the union—which is currently in negotiations with the Village—would potentially accept an across-the-boards pay cut as an alternative to layoffs if all Village employees were to accept it.

Also speaking were Village employees whose jobs stand to be cut if the layoff plan is adopted, including Rosemary Kelly, a clerk who started at the Department of Recreation as a part-timer 30 years ago and currently works two days of her work week with Senior Services.

"If you take me from Senior Services, you'll be doing a disservice to the residents of this community," said Kelly, who also supports across-the-board pay cuts.

Other commenters expressed the view that layoffs are a necessary evil in light of the Village's fiscal predicament, and the arts shouldn't be exempt.

"We all are going to have to give up something to get through this mess," said Robert Landau.