Council study session: Budget cuts
Read "Council to consider more budget cuts" at the Woodland Record.
Agenda Item F1
Receive Report on FY 2009-10 General Fund; Review Budget
Options; Provide Input and Direction
Discussion will include three tiered levels of proposed cuts: $5.4 million, $6.3 million and $7 million.
First Tier options include general employee related cost reductions and cuts in the community development department, parks and recreation, police and fire, library and public works.
Second Tier options include a 1.5% reduction of all salaries with additional position cuts and Third Tier options include a 3% reduction of all salaries with another level of position cuts.
Specific measures include an employee step advancement freeze and furloughs. Programs that may be cut or receive reductions include the Yolano recreation, special events, fitness center program, youth center, Hiddleson Pool, DARE, youth diversion, graffiti abatement, crime prevention services, animal services, library services and custodial services.
See a related Letter to the Editor from Friends of the Library: Potential library cuts are draconian
See a related Letter to the Editor from a city employee: Budget cuts: New city positions questioned by employee
Download the Excel document: "CDD staffing level 2004 vs 2009"
Posts
37 comments:
Okay First reaction is they mention cutting staff in those dept and the claim monies saved. Sorry to disagree the city does not see the savings that they claim they will. You end up with more people getting paid overtime and less work being done on the their work they were originally doing and therefore no one else to help them so they have no choice but to work overtime to accomplish what they need to do.
Then you have their so called bosses they you shift their money to redevelopment to mask his pay. Sorry but no matter how you slice it it's still rotten way to do it and cut the real people that do their job.
From what I understand the city mgr has promoted several people and thus created several chiefs and not to many workers. So then end result is he is hoping that this will work by keeping them happy sorry to say mr deven what you have created is a very very low morale and alot of unhappy staff and that is a very bad thing when you are trying to make cuts like this you need to focus on cutting from the top down.
I just skimmed over the report and it appears that they are going to make adjustments at the Police Dept as well. The same thing apllies as the commenter 10:08 pointed out. They need to cut from the top down there as well. They have to many Lieutenants. The pay they would save there would allow more additional officers to be hired.
Also what is the Reduce Police Facility costs of 25,000 dollars for anyone able to get a breakdown of that?
facility cost reduction is a reduction in janitorial expenses.
City employee speaks his mind on his own time. GOOD!!!!
More of them should step up and do the same. The city council does not hear this kind of forward thinking enough. Good for Mark Dennis for at least having the courage to put it out there. I for one will be following any attempt by the city or it's staff to attack mark for his thoughts. In the pask Kirkwood's regime would attack or pressure city employees to keep them quite.
Good points that Mark Dennis has raised. I too agree with the previous commenters. Cuts need to happen from the top down.
FINALLY!!! A City of Woodland employee with the cajones to tell the truth!!!
Start at the top, not at the bottom. Since the new city manager has been hired, the number of highly paid managers has skyrocketed while the number of employees providing basic city services has stagnated.
It's time to tighten our belt at the management level and eliminate all but the most essential positions that pay more than $100,000 per year.
I like Mr Deven however he is not hearing what is really going on at the city. Unlike Mark Dennis I will not put my name out there due to the events in the past as I can not afford to lose my job. I will say that Mark Dennis only scratched the surface. Hopefully others will comment on here as well.
Now you know the rest of the story:
This memorandum is in response to a spreadsheet comparing the Community Development Department staffing in 2004 to 2009 and noting the changes that have taken place and what appears to be an overly weighted management presence within CDD. Unfortunately, the table does not tell the whole story and it will be beneficial to explain some of the rationale that has lead up to the current staffing arrangement.
In 2004 the Community Development Department was a completely different organization that existed under a different set of circumstances. Prior to and leading up to 2004, staffing levels (depicted in the chart that was sent to City Council) were adequate for that period of time when the City did not have the large-scale complex projects such as Spring Lake and Gateway. At that time, the CDD lacked the coordination and professional staff needed to process these type projects. Furthermore, the department was continually criticized for not being customer, business, and developer friendly; typically a symptom of lack of management staff.
Since the 2004, the City has been continually reviewing CDD’s organizational structure and re-organizing the department to improve efficiency and make it more customer friendly, as well as being staffed to better reflect the actual workload. One of the many actions that has occurred is the integration of the Engineering Division into CDD (formerly under Public Works).
Even though it is recognized that development has considerably slowed, many of these projects have not gone away. In fact, staff continues to work with the development community to help stimulate planned growth in the City. Such efforts include the Spring Lake Financing Plan, BUA review, the MPFP fee reductions, and fee deferral ordinance passed by Council on December 17, 2008.
The table that was sent to City Council does not take into account:
· Authorized frozen positions that have been eliminated.
· FY09 vacancies that have been eliminated.
· Staff transfers and redistribution of staff time allocations to other non-general fund sources
· Responsibilities and workloads that have been shifted and re-distributed to existing staff.
For example:
· A CDD Director position was eliminated when the existing Director was asked to take the responsibilities of Assistant City Manager (ACM) and CDD Director; thereby consolidating two positions and saving the City approximately $213,000. In addition, staff is proposing to take 20% of the ACM position and code it to RDA creating an additional savings of $43,000 to the General fund. A total of approximately $256,000
· The Chief Building Official and Engineering Deputy Director positions were eliminated and a CDD Deputy Director position was created; thereby consolidating two existing positions and saving the City approximately $151,678.
· A vacant Building Inspector I and a vacant CDD Tech I position were eliminated and a Senior Plans Examiner position was created; thereby consolidating two positions to create a new job classification to enable the City to generate more revenue, save the General Fund money that was being contracted out, and provide timely, efficient services. The creation of this position has saved the City approximately $51,532 in salaries, has saved the City $40,200 in contract services, and has generated $105,360 in revenue so far this year. Total savings plus additional revenue generated is approximately $197,092
· A vacant Planning Manager position was eliminated; meanwhile the supervision of staff and oversight of the division was given to an existing Principal Planner (originally created to work solely with Spring Lake) creating savings of approximately $160,894. Also, the division eliminated a frozen Assistant Planner, Associate Planner, and a CDD Tech I position; thereby saving the City approximately $201,839. A total of $362,733.
Also, the table:
· Includes a Senior Management Analyst and Admin Clerk II Engineering positions that runs contrary to the note on the bottom of table that states “staffing levels do not include what used to be Public Works Engineering and is now CDD.”
A point that is not reflected in the email sent to City Council is, should layoffs occur, remaining management and mid-management staff will be expected to work longer hours to successfully perform their current job duties and those duties of those positions considered for layoff at no extra pay or comp time. Nevertheless and despite the City’s efforts to become more efficient and do more with less, the City is still facing tough economic decisions this year. CDD’s “options” for consideration listed in the City Council staff report were identified as a last option. These positions remained in-tact and unchanged while re-organizing and consolidating our operation.
As can be seen with this simple analysis, the goal of CDD over the last four years has been to raise the organizations’ professionalism and incorporate a reorganization of CDD and Public Work’s Engineering. This all has taken place during a time of rapid expansion with associated increased work loads and then quickly having to reduce staffing and budget requirements during the current economic downturn. These changes are still taking place and have resulted in a “flatter” organization with management having to take on more diverse roles. Whether the outcome of this year’s budget will result in the full reduction of CDD staff or not, CDD has had to undergo substantial changes over the last four years and these changes have resulted in substantial improvement in customer service, a higher degree of professionalism and greater productivity.
As a final note and consistent with the information presented herein, the CDD original budget submission included expenditures that were $600,000 less than the current, FY 2008-09 budget. This was possible because of the consolidation of management and professional staff positions as noted herein. The additional reductions listed in the First, Second and Third Tiers are over and above the $600,000 reduction already included in the original budget submission. These reductions also reflect the decreased revenue associated with the reduction in building and construction activity.
6:28
Thanks for the additional info. Perhaps you should explain how RDA funding works so folks know why those budget items are different than the general fund.
Also, you mentioned CDD staff are busy with the fee deferral ordinance among other planning. I can't pass up the opportunity to say tongue-in-cheek that an ordinance can, indeed, take six years or longer.
Lastly, you mentioned customer service improvements. I realize you can't control individual council members (ultimately the election process with take care of them), but does ignoring emails fall into that category?
6:28 am I respectfully disagree with several parts of what you are saying "should layoffs occur, remaining management and mid-management staff will be expected to work longer hours to successfully perform their current job duties and those duties of those positions considered for layoff at no extra pay or comp time."
That is positively false the union contract does not allow that. Period. Who are you trying to fool with that comment. Just try and ask them if they will work 60 plus hours a week and see what happens.
"· A CDD Director position was eliminated when the existing Director was asked to take the responsibilities of Assistant City Manager (ACM) and CDD Director; thereby consolidating two positions and saving the City approximately $213,000."
I must be really daft here. So, consolidating these TWO positions saved the City $200 K? Did the person who took this position lose BOTH paychecks?
6:28 claims similar SAVINGS the City has made by creating new positions.
Where is this City's management???
Signed, Phil
With all the adjusting and realigning of city staff, will we have a saving or will overtime eat up any planned saving on the general funds. It appears that the Council is not hearing all the facts from Departments and need to dig in a little deeper before making final decision on budget.
Only Dino's e-mails are ignored = spam blocker is on high.
1:23
You oughta love the new post!
State honors : )
Here is some information I received in an email:
1) In the last 12 months or so, several positions have been created to boost the management level in one department (CDD). This would include the creation of the Deputy Director of CDD, the Chief Building Officer was successful promoted to this position, at a substantial increase in pay. While the CBO position was eliminated as a part of this promotion, the increase in pay (which means increase in benefit costs) is a poor decision given our financial situation.
2) I would like to share my interpretation of the City Manager's view of the proposed budget cuts. He indicates that he wants a shared sacrifice to get over this, but to me it not shared equally amongst the entire city. In reading the Fire Department's Monthly Status report, they boast their overtime expenses on a monthly basis, anywhere from $30k to $40k+ per month. According to [some firefighters], there are currently 36 firefighters, with 4 engine companies, they are staffing each of the companies with 3 firefighters. Multiply this out over 12 months and it is substantial. The police department is the same, somewhere close to $1M per year on OT. That is 10 FTE positions. The library, parks and community development departments have been most substantially affected by the proposed cuts.
3) The fire department has 1 filled position is proposed to be eliminated (admin clerk), the pd has a couple non-sworn filled positions proposed to be eliminated, and the youth diversion position. There is a marked difference in the tone of the proposed cuts (position/job function), in my opinion, almost like 'we'll offer up these cuts to public safety, but here's what will happen when/if we do'. Where the other proposed position eliminations (non public safety) there is very little explanation of the cuts.
4) With the creation of several "manager" positions created in CDD and the proposed position eliminations, there wouldn't be very many employees left for them to manage. Case in point, the office manager (previously an administrative secretary) currently supervises 3.6 admin clerks, with the proposed cuts she would be down to 1, and the office would be closed the majority of the day (open only 3hrs per day). The other position Building Inspection Manager, he too would be down to 1 or 0 employees.
"...shared sacrifice needs to be exactly that, shared. Police and Fire utilize the majority of the General Fund, they should be asked to share more of the sacrifice."
Note: I have permission to share these thoughts from the person who emailed them to me.
The City is going to save a bundle in the FY 2010 because the Finance Director's position was eliminated - but the Finance Director stayed on salary (but not on the premises) until April 30th of this year.
Cuts should always start at the top. As usual the city, county & woodland school district are top heavy, too many chiefs (that are way over paid) & not enough indians!
What is happening here is typical. Those that are about to be displaced or released must blame others.
I always here people talking about the city should be ran more like a business well guess what the business is running in the red so some indians have to go home.
Public safety is number one priority,was the message from Council and Manager. I do agree but I would say a efficient public safety is needed. Overtime is not efficient and saves no money.
I must admit I typically do not get involved in city issues however I feel compelled to weigh in on this.
4/1/09 2:56 PM
"Public safety is number one priority,was the message from Council and Manager. I do agree but I would say a efficient public safety is needed."
Yes I too support that statement. I agree that there is fat at the top of the admin at the Police Dept. The police chief is trying to make it seem as though he is willing to make some concessions however lame attempt it is. Fact is he knows that the council will not vote to eliminate these positions.
This is what was listed in the first tier reductions Discontinue Strategic Operations: This program provides the equipment, supplies and training for Police specialty units such as Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT), Honor Guard and the K-9 Unit. Supplies, services and equipment such as vehicles necessary to maintain SWAT and CNT in a state of readiness would not be included in the budget and the units would no longer be operable. Services necessary to train and re-certify K-9s would not be included and the dogs would be removed from service. This reduction would generate $104,670 in savings.
I only hope that no one else is buying this masked attempt to divert attention away from what others have been saying. "You cut from the top down"
If we have fat at the top then the council needs to trim it. That is where this police chief needs to look first at too. Not by trying to play politics.
4:18 Hit that comment out of the park. Yea Baby!.
He knows the council would never vote to get rid of the these(SWAT), Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT), Honor Guard and the K-9 Unit.
Smoke and Mirrors is what that is.
The writers on this blog and others have a bad habit of wanting to cut from the top. You can rest assured that the inmates are not capable of running the institution without a good support system including competent managers.
If you want to find the fat, look to the labor agreements.
For example the use of overtime may in some small measure be a little less expensive but when you need the bodies straight time paid to a greater number of people has many positive results including:
More people employed
More people available in a crisis
The one thing you can take to the bank is that labor takes care of itself first. If you believe anything else you are wrong. That does not make labor bad, it is just a reality.
Perhaps a little more faith in the city's management will bear fruit.
6:44
As a writer of this blog, I would like you to tell me more about my habit of wanting to cut from the top. I am for cutting government waste, that's true, but that can come at any level of the totem pole or in many other ways.
re: Dino 6:57 PM
My comment has nothing to do with you. I referred to the writers on the blog not the author.
How many of these posts contain the following "cut from the top down" or something similar.
My suggestion is that everyone look a little deeper.
"My suggestion is that everyone look a little deeper."
So what do you suggest?
Here is my suggested starting place.
Start by understanding labor costs and what drives overtime. Read the labor agreements.
Look at interfund transfers.
Quit listening to unhappy emloyees. Their thoughts are always biased and usually uninformed.
This city operates so lean that cuts should only be made on the back of reduced services. I mean really reduced.
Be mindful that the city only provides the services that are required by law or the public demands.
Start here and stop picking on individual members of staff (labor and management). They are just a bunch of really nice people working hard and under incredible stress.
Just my thoughts.
After attending the Council Meeting on Tuesday I am pleased that the Council has an interested in saving jobs and preserving services that truly give more benefit than the cost attached to them, but there are cost burdening mid management positions that can and should be review too. We need to do more with less to be the "City that we can afford to be".
"The one thing you can take to the bank is that labor takes care of itself first."
And,
"Start by understanding labor costs and what drives overtime. Read the labor agreements."
"Start here and stop picking on individual members of staff (labor and management). They are just a bunch of really nice people working hard and under incredible stress."
So, I guess we tell the unions that they are screwing things up. Huh?
"Quit listening to unhappy emloyees. Their thoughts are always biased and usually uninformed."
Great advice, only wish we could find ANY employee happy in their job these days.
"You can rest assured that the inmates are not capable of running the institution without a good support system including competent managers."
As I personally know quite a few employees at every level, these "inmates" as you refer to, have some GREAT ideas. Management needs to listen to them. I must strongly dis-agree that we have "competent managers" currently.
It seems that everyone is so focussed on cuts that they are missing the much bigger picture here. There are two ways to raise tax revenues. The first is to just increase taxes. Of course that only punishes the existing businesses and their existing customers, sometimes to the point of running them out of business. That only results in less taxes collected.
The second would be to increase the pool of businesses that collect these taxes. With over 90% of our population employed, there are a number of people with investment capitol just itching to expand their business. Our city needs to invest a major part of it's resources actually welcoming new businesses here, with primary focus on our Downtown.
A competent and motivated manager would be able to recognize this. I believe a very poor choice was made hiring Mr. Deven. He would be the first position to cut. The next would be his assistant manager. A more "anti-business" man I have not met.
Watch the morale change immediately when these two men are gone.
Obama has given us a perfect example of how to handle the leaders who fail an operation. If Woodland could open the doors to new and innovative leaders with fresh ideas to bring in more capitol, our recover will be swift.
Our police and fire need NO CUTS. If the residents and business community feels safe, it will increase confidence in the community as a whole. Our parks and rec. need to keep simple and affordable entertainment (for its citizenry) like municipal pools and parks a priority in Woodland.
Dino (and Jeff) have pointed out numerous wastes in spending through this blog.
Thank you,
Just one more voice.
I am a happy employee working for Woodland!!! And I am still willing to furlough and do my part to save 10:20ams job.
I think our city manager is doing a great job in very tough times.
I am a happy employee working for Woodland!!! And I am still willing to furlough and do my part to save 10:20ams job.
I think our city manager is doing a great job in very tough times.
It is time to pay attention to the model of Stanislaus County and the City of Modesto... they share resources and facilities.
Just think, if the City of Woodland had meetings in the county's chamber – and use their (the public's) equipment – we could have instant AV records of meetings.
10:20 again. I am glad to hear from a city employee that likes their job and manager. I do not work for the city. I have run a successful business in Woodland for over a decade. We just had a phenomenol March. Up over last year even.
Many of your (12:57) co-workers shop regularly in my store. They don't share your enthusiasm. Nothing but trouble since Mark arrived. Nice guy, just not right for Woodland. These "tough times" need leaders who are not afraid to stray out of the box.
BTW Furloughs mean less service and productivity. NOT the answer. And I am glad to hear YOU don't need your entire paycheck.
Its interesting to see all the Departments fighting for their jobs. The Fire department has grown more in the last years than any other department and is whining about any reduction. I remember when the 14 new firefighter were hired to man the new Springlake fire station. Now three years later no fire station and we still have the fourth fire crew. Lets look at all area before terminating other city employess.
ex city employee
10:20 You are right on one point. The City Manager and Assistant City Manager are not leaders. The jobs are way over their heads. They don't seem to see the whole picture. Bad choice.
Assistant City Manager are not leaders. Nail Right on the head to Mr. Devens credit he probably choose Barry because he need to have someone in there that he needed to work with him. So while he probably was not his first choice he was not left with any other option. Was it a good decision no. Given what I know I know he was stuck and this was the solution at the time. We now need better. Not do we need it we deserve it.
Fact is the employee morale is so low that getting rid of the asst city mgr would be a step in the right direction to try and salvage what ever employee morale we can.
I know in speaking with several of them that they feel they are being ignored. Thus they do not even like going to work. Which is not good and these are people that I kow like there job.
As far as the Fire dept, I have been in there numerous times for plan review. Get rid of the so-called Fire marshall. I can get better advice from a Cracker jack box. That has to save the city at least 100K for him. I think salary cuts to upper management could probably balance the budget awfully close all by themselves. Look at that option.
SIGNED
LOCAL CONTRACTOR
What a bunch of ill informed bozos.
Yada yada yada yada
"Ill informed"? You bet. We the people get very little information. Very sad. "Bozos"? Well, when we are left to connect the dots, sometimes we fill in with our own understanding of the situations. Our leaders are REQUITRED to communicate with its citizenry. Sadly they DO NOT. :(
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