Quinn said the Council would continue to be regularly updated on budget issues and, “with a good possibility things could get better and hold on” for up to six months, more drastic cuts might be averted.Councilman Bob Gonzales said he would prefer that the two police department layoffs proposed, a part-time records clerk and a part-time liaison, be delayed. When it came to the status of a facility attendant for the Community Center Gonzales said his preference would be to raise user fees, and he questioned the lights left on at Teague Park.Noting the use of volunteers for various park duties was suggested several times, Councilman Fred Robinson questioned insurance and potential city liability, and suggested that such issues first be examined.Councilman Dr. Gabino Aguirre said he had faith in the department heads who had crafted the cuts. “I guess my point is we may have to feel a little bit of pain today versus feeling more pain later on,” he noted.That potential pain later would be more widespread: Future cuts in the second tier stages could include eliminating a police officer’s position, unpaid furloughs for employees, and reducing the hours of the Santa Paula California Oil Museum by one day. The third tier of possible cuts would be the hardest, with laying off as many as a half-dozen employees, cutting hours at Fire Station 2, and trying to renegotiate lower salaries and benefits.
Council agrees to scale back services but balks at some budget cuts
September 16, 2009
Santa Paula City Council
The City Council agreed to scale back services and initiate a new disposal fee, but balked at the layoff of two part-time Police Department employees as they continued to whittle away at the budget.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe City Council agreed to scale back services and initiate a new disposal fee, but balked at the layoff of two part-time Police Department employees as they continued to whittle away at the budget. At the September 8 meeting the Council shifted funds and discussed the loss of services in the wake of another $323,000 cut recommendation on top of the August cut of $337,000, made to reduce a deficit originally reported as $1.1 million.Finance Director John Quinn said three full-time jobs in administration, planning and community services were converted to part-time duty agreed to by employees. The Council also learned that parks and other public areas would have less maintenance, and the city’s traditionally free large item disposal Drop Off Day would now charge a $10 fee.The latter issue caused concern on the part of Mayor Ralph Fernandez, who questioned whether or not the charge would cause more people to dump large items such as sofas on city streets.During Public comment City Clerk Judy Rice took to the podium and said at the Friday evening Cruise Nite she had been “amazed how many people approached me with fears” that budget cutting could eliminate televised Council meetings. “They really watch” to “see how you are doing your job,” said Rice.Vice Mayor Jim Tovias urged that the city consider using jail inmates for park and public area maintenance.
