APPLETON — It could be the quiet before the storm for a controversial decision by Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna to eliminate the jobs of five employees as a budget-cutting move.

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An anticipated debate over the job cuts failed to materialize during Saturday's daylong review of the city's $154 million, 2010 budget by the Administrative Services Committee.

But Ald. Jim Clemons, a committee member, said that doesn't mean the issue is dead.

"I'm not comfortable with everything that happened with these job cuts. I'm going to look for ways to replace the money to fund these positions," he said.

Clemons said he plans to call for reinstatement of at least some of the jobs during the Common Council's consideration of the budget on Nov. 11.

The budget calls for an average 0.14 percent decrease in the tax rate.

In Outagamie County, the owner of the home assessed at $150,000 will see the bill decline 80 cents from the year before, to about $1,193.

The owner of a $150,000 home in the section of Appleton in Calumet County would see the city tax bills drop about $5, to $1,187.

In Winnebago County, home to less than 2 percent of the city's taxable property, the owner of a $150,000 home would see the city portion of the 2010 tax bill drop about $20, settling at $1,179.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 4.

Clemons cast the lone dissenting vote on a motion to approve the police department's budget for 2010, which included elimination of the department's community engagement coordinator position, formerly held by Anne Strauch.

Strauch was one of five people escorted Oct. 6 from their desks and told their jobs were being eliminated in Hanna's proposed 2010 budget.

"I have a real issue with the way this all happened," Clemons said of Hanna's move to cut the jobs before the council considered the proposed cuts.

The community engagement coordinator's job, which includes overseeing the city's Neighborhood Watch program and other volunteer services, was the only one that drew any debate during Saturday's committee meeting.

There were other jobs cuts in the parks and recreation and public works departments.

"No one job is exempt from consideration of being cut, but if we have something that works like the community engagement coordinator we need to give it our full scrutiny," Clemons said.

Police Chief David Walsh assured Clemons and the other committee members the city's volunteer programs will remain strong despite the job cut.

Strauch's duties are expected to be divided within the police and fire departments.

"I'm not a big fan of specialized positions," Walsh said, noting Appleton doesn't have a gang unit or traffic division.

"It's not best to have one person responsible for one program," he said.

Ald. Mike Smith said he is concerned the job cut will result in a loss of "face time" with residents.

"I have to look beyond the dollars," Smith said. "I'm very leery about spreading this position out."

Ald. Jeff Jirschele said the city's volunteer programs, including Neighborhood Watch, are successful "and I would hate to see those programs, at this point, be neglected."

Ald. George Holzknecht said aldermen are not aware of the inner workings of the police department, and eliminating the community engagement coordinator is a financially responsible move.

"We are not qualified to differ from the recommendations of our department heads," Holzknecht said.

In other action, the committee: