WSA - BUDGET DISCUSSION 2011-2012_COLOR

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SE/U, deferred their negotiated 4% salary increase and then deferred a2.SY6 increase inJanuary ofZOlO for the period of one year. |n spite of these efforts, the City was forced to once again reduce the number of employees, by issuing an additional 40+ layoff notices in May 2010. While the first and second rounds of layoffs did not have a discernable impact on the front-'line services provided to the public, the third and fourth rounds necessitated changes in how vve provide certain services. Care was taken to minimize the impacts of these reductions on public safety, which remains the City's most important priority. None of the layoffs have included sworn personnel in our police or fire departments. In July 2010l these same bargaining groups once again agreed to defer their negotiated salary increases and made several other salary and benefit related concessions to reduce city costs and help preserve front-line services at their current levels. SEW also agreed to various salary and benefit related concessions which included furloughing its members. During fiscal year 2010-2011, the Executive Management Teamn established several committees to evaluate cost saving opportunities to permanently reduce City costs. This resulted ln $l.4 million in cost redoct1on strategies that will be implemented during 2011'2012. In addition,, the City is currently conducting a citywide cost allocation study as a means by which to allocate general fund costs to non-general fund sources and assess the possibility of future cost recovery fees. For 2011'2012' departmental budgets incorporate various assumptions which include bargaining group concessions and the end of certain deferrals such as negotiated salary increases and accrual cash-outs. For the most part, the Citv's budget is balanced through the use of anticipated vacancy savings, restructuring of internal service fund cost allocations and the use of one-time funds. As far as the proposed departmental reductions, all are being accomplished through the elimination of vacancies that have been created due to. retirements. The proposed budget decreases the full-time employee count by 3 positions for a total workforce allocation of 1510. This workforce figure equates to a ratio of 4.6 employees per 2^000 residents and demonstrates a significant improvement, in operational efficiencies over the past several years. For example, in FY 1986-87, the ratio was 7.5 employees per I,000 residents. Through a combination of reductions in our workforce, keeping a number of positions vacant and generating savings through systems improvements resulting from our continuous improvement efforts, the City continues to maintain its position of being one of the most efficient at providing services when compared to the 11 largest cities in California and the lOO largest cities |n the country. Fiscal stability strategies incorporated into the proposed General Fund Budget include reorganization of some departments and functions, elimination of service redundancies, sh\ftingof|eg)timmeteexpensestonon'Genera|Fundsources,aodcontnact1ngoutserv|cesvvhen the private sector can provide comparable or better quality service for less cost. For example, the retirement of the Cit/s Library Director in ZOOB has provided an opportunity to merge tile Library into the Parks Recreation and Community Services Agency, generating savings through consolidation of administrative functions that can be used to maintain existing programs and services. Several years ago the City contracted out park maintenance services to all but 13 park sites. During fiscal year 2009-2010, the City along with leadership from the Mayor and City [oundU agreed to contract out the renmain\ng park sites and Civic Center which resulted in 5