Politics & Government

City Council to Consider More Whacks at Budget

Deep, shared and painful cuts are on the block.

A revised approach to rework the city's budget could close the Pinole Valley fire station, suspend many community events and negotiate pay cuts and other concessions from city employees. The Pinole City Council on Wednesday faces the prospect of closing the Pinole Valley fire station, freezing three police department jobs, cutting $233,150 from recreation, and  $48,860 from Pinole TV. Also uncder consideration is requiring those two departments to pay for themselves through collection of fees.

City staff already are looking at:

  • increasing fees for the Youth Center
  • increasing fees for building and planning services
  • eliminating a position in the public works departement
  • freezing a police department position of code officer

and

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  • freezing a police commander postion for six months.

The general fund is currently projected to have $1 million deficit. A Fiscal Recovery Plan for the remainder of the current fiscal year and for the 2011-2012 year is a hurried reaction to reduced revenues, despite ongoing layoffs, and to the state legislature's pending dissolution of redevelopment agencies. The city is heavily dependent on tax revenue from the redevelopment agency. The loss of nearly all of that revenue will directly affect all departments except for police, fire and the wastewater operations.

Currently the Valley fire station is browned out for 10 days per month, as was negotiated with the firefighters' union last year. That agreement expires June 30. Closing the station would save about $800,00 per year. Among the options offered to the council by staff are to "brown out" the station completely, and adding one firefighter to each of the three daily shifts at the  Tennent Avenue station. There would be no lost firefighter jobs in that scenario. In turn, the city will ask for the union to make concessions that could include reduced salaries, paying a higher share into pension funds and health insurance and a reduction in holidays.

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The council also will consider a hiring freeze for the police department, effectively not filling three positions. A police commander position vacancy would be re-evaluated in September.

The city is hoping to save between $500,000 and $700,000 a year via labor negotiations, according to the staff report that council members will consider Wednesday.

The council has convened in several special budget meeting to hear options and give direction to city staff. Last week council members agreed that the city should investigate contracting out services for police and fire dispatch, information systems and for the building and planning department.

The city expects to recover about $740,000 from redevolpment for the 2012-2013 fiscal year after taking a heavy one-time hit in the interim.

Wednesday's meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at City Hall, 2131 Pear St. The agenda and supporting documents are available on the city's web site.


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