[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6707955,"mediaKeyId","3426089-12cd616aab68912c6153c7278b3bf922","parentId",3426089,"title","Placerville council, staff say water reclamation staffing tied to upcoming rate study","audioSeconds",208,"startMs",1155040,"endMs",1363125,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3426089-12cd616aab68912c6153c7278b3bf922&start=1155&end=1363","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3426089-12cd616aab68912c6153c7278b3bf922/thumbnail_1155040.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6707955/Placerville/El-Dorado-County/California/Placerville-council-staff-say-water-reclamation-staffing-tied-to-upcoming-rate-study","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6707955-b2533d1a814ad523705b95892dff9b3d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141054&Signature=c0MdRUHSjph4N8Sdd0YJQYalDznu7DpJ77Hrc7Ry8QUc0s58E1WwGmKjl5V2riKy3rdMBzNwJ62UzgTpT0eyCmP0F7gr-Wdm1oukE1sxVoD4KBNXttBggOCg358IrfzncIKq~ai8DtvcTxZFdM7~szPdt0HyywG7-Viu0ePb6b7e6PafLZgtUhB2lT-OWeHVYuDGU48XlJstM7D6tRhOD8siJAToAMDi38fy7sYldj1NxUUKjV0oze60mpSTXQ37bY6lAD3SkyPIgWpmeeX73TgbooRnh9MU~Xk7V3FeKzUrANtNGOYz5SJeRh559KEv6nf75Hy3IUM44sCGJ-dVKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-21T01:50:01Z","article","Placerville — Councilmembers and staff flagged understaffing and operational risk at the city's Water Reclamation Facility during the May 20 budget workshop, and said a pending water/sewer cost‑of‑service study will drive decisions about restoring or changing positions.

\"I just I just wanna reiterate the importance of these positions at the water reclamation facility because we are severely understaffed right now,\" said a councilmember during discussion of the draft budget. The councilmember described a senior operator who “can't take a vacation” because the plant lacks sufficient backup staffing.

Staff described the budget approach as a temporary deferral and a reorganization rather than immediate layoffs. \"What this is doing is this is reclassifying some of those positions to have it better organized at the plant,” said Cleve, a staff member, noting the council already addressed the chief plant operator salary at a previous meeting. Cleve said the draft recommends abolishing an “operator 4” position while hiring senior operators under a different classification.

Nut graf: Staff and council tied longer‑term staffing decisions to the outcome of a rate study by Bartle Wells and said the sooner that study is completed, the sooner some deferred positions can be reconsidered and possibly funded through adjusted rates.

Key points from staff and council
- Rate study dependency: Staff repeatedly said the water/sewer cost‑of‑service rate study (consultant: Bartle Wells) will inform whether and how to restore or reclassify positions at the plant. \"We're gonna do a rate study...that rate study is gonna tell us...to hire all these people back, we're gonna have to raise rates,\" one councilmember said in the meeting.
- Operational risk: Council members and commenters warned that prolonged understaffing could risk failure to meet water quality standards and possible enforcement fines. A public commenter told the council that past failures had resulted in penalties and that insufficient staffing could lead to similar enforcement costs.
- Interim funding: Staff recommended using fund balance in the near term to cover water and sewer fund shortfalls ($171,000 deficit for water; $301,000 deficit for sewer reported in the draft), and then recouping costs through future rates if the rate study supports increases.

Ending: Council asked staff to return with the Bartle Wells rate study results and emphasized concern about employee retention and operational continuity at the water reclamation facility.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Placerville City Council Special Meeting 05 20 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council and staff discussed freezing and reclassifying proposed water reclamation facility positions but said hiring decisions will be reconsidered after a water/sewer cost‑of‑service (rate) study. Staff warned of operational strain at the plant if positions are deferred.","taxTitle","Placerville, El Dorado County, California","taxId",12827,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6707959,"Placerville council reviews $1.19 million in adjustments to balance FY 2025–26 budget",3002,113920,3116395,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3426089-12cd616aab68912c6153c7278b3bf922&start=113&end=3116","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3426089-12cd616aab68912c6153c7278b3bf922/thumbnail_113920.jpg","/articles/6707959/Placerville/El-Dorado-County/California/Placerville-council-reviews-119-million-in-adjustments-to-balance-FY-202526-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6707959-c2c00558e88bbba7d60b27ee6fc098f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141054&Signature=TrwfRJJtYvM~jqLeJA-Sg07K5IuDQxGqvysUdgbL7rB0tMtBJBKidhoNC-dQMtuzfGJENL-Ci5zaCZvOZ0eAkf72t3L2T2XEny5qop3V5bNu5RU3bG4qGIr1jqAUUQjczkf3Ubz6rvU1CJ9Sqmdu9zUYsD062ITUB69N5vH~W16Abkmu9Iw14ry28Y3Rdib5uEgDplSRpDwB3NZ6ERPBR8Kv2Y1a1xPUHzl-pqBmFYPt52hGfTbmOvTNnpqhl0o1VnY9WdxIFQldpQmAl5JMADn~aoCUoBcbjF~Tu3IndKrcly7QBiTvg46SLOJ5hhESLjrLycjg7zRc5elaSgFgjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Placerville — City staff presented a draft fiscal year 2025–26 budget to the Placerville City Council on May 20, outlining a $1,029,000 shortfall in the general fund and recommending $1,193,001.80 in adjustments to close that gap.

The proposed adjustments include a mixture of revenue measures, spending cuts and one‑time transfers. “So the last time we met, we shared our wish list with you. And today, we're going to share how we can afford some of those wish lists or wish items,” said Dave Warren, a staff member leading the presentation, who walked council through general fund assumptions, revenue forecasts and recommended reductions.

Warren told the council that sales tax accounts for roughly 59% of general fund revenue and that consultant HDL forecasts a 3.7% decrease for the 2024–25 year and a 3.6% increase in 2025–26, producing a year‑over‑year sales tax revenue decline of about $226,000. He laid out the math behind the $1,029,000 starting deficit and the $1.19 million in recommended adjustments that, if adopted as proposed, would yield a small surplus on paper.

Nut graf: The review pairs across‑the‑board savings and targeted deferrals with transfers from restricted funds and one‑time reserve uses to reach balance. Council and staff stressed the proposal is a draft and that follow‑up hearings and potential modifications remain before the July 1 adoption deadline.

Most significant items in the draft budget
- Personnel and benefits pressures. Staff included projected increases for health insurance (assumed 10%) and a projected CalPERS increase; finance staff said those and other benefit cost increases are major drivers of higher expenditures. Warren outlined estimated increases to pension and insurance costs and noted they are factored into the draft.
- Position freezes and reclassifications. The draft recommends freezing several vacant positions across departments (police, development services, others) and reclassifying some roles; staff said they intend to revisit some requests after a water/sewer cost‑of‑service (rate) study is complete.
- Program and service reductions. Community services staff proposed shortening the aquatics season (stop when school starts, reduce weekday open‑swim) and scaling back some recreation programs to reduce part‑time personnel costs; staff estimated an $81,234 reduction in aquatic revenues paired with corresponding part‑time expenditure reductions.
- Use of restricted funds and transfers. Staff recommended using RMRA and SB1 fuel tax transfers and other one‑time sources (including net position from an older risk JPA) to avoid deeper general fund cuts. The draft also contemplates restoring a prior transfer of $760,000 from the general fund to ARPA to preserve those federal funds.
- Capital and equipment. Staff proposed funding a limited computer replacement program of about $45,343, and recommended deferring several CIP items (annual striping, some facility projects) given general fund constraints.

Council and staff next steps
Councilmembers and staff agreed on a two‑step schedule: a public hearing at the first June meeting and potential adoption at the second June meeting to meet the July 1 adoption deadline, while allowing further adjustments. Council also directed staff to return with the water/sewer rate study outcomes and any changes required by new fee or rate recommendations.

Ending: Staff emphasized the draft is a starting point for more council discussion. \"We want to be transparent and show you all everything we did,\" Warren said. Public comment at the meeting praised city staff and urged retention and promotion opportunities for long‑tenured employees.
","City staff presented a draft FY 2025–26 operating and CIP budget showing a $1,029,000 starting deficit and recommended $1,193,001.80 in revenue and expenditure adjustments, including personnel freezes, program reductions and one-time transfers to balance the general fund.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6707949,"Placerville council reports out of closed session: one police officer position will not be frozen",64,5113590,5177715,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3426089-12cd616aab68912c6153c7278b3bf922&start=5113&end=5177","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3426089-12cd616aab68912c6153c7278b3bf922/thumbnail_5113590.jpg","/articles/6707949/Placerville/El-Dorado-County/California/Placerville-council-reports-out-of-closed-session-one-police-officer-position-will-not-be-frozen","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6707949-181aa009e535ec8e196d71aa3bb48fd6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141054&Signature=YK-Q3bdDKOTpNMov3~wQgEMPrUuMDvuIT1CsCL3LjI97vzwa5VSe9Jw7U9Yp7si--~W3XiUS6lr69uhrEmBGAq3WCHSpIaAuovwO8EkopEO18zSg4-ZyrgbJxD4swQUI0M9bIbO8Aj5667r7vHAuDqEqDEZeY94H5tU66laEK8LxryQtyAF3DpYA7VvjNqTZd3kRnw4dCHmD7ScVAUXP1pfj1LuzXTAn6HLmkv9l2OvuF0mbSQtgn7nAtRGTmOJb2Y0iy9W9MhN4ZQvsFWOF8S-EliUGd-1428b9GMsRYnM8I5OYDl2H~LN1QO2nV0OcmCPaMEe3dkWABWMKznXIlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Placerville — The Placerville City Council went into closed session on May 20 for labor negotiations with the Police Officers Association (PPOA) and reported out a decision not to freeze a single police officer vacancy that staff had previously proposed to hold.

\"Yes. Just briefly, we went into a closed session on, PPOA negotiations, and, council provided direction to staff,\" said the mayor upon returning to open session. Later the mayor reported the specific outcome: \"we will not be freezing the 1 police officer position, and we're gonna figure out a way to fund that.\" The council said it would look across the budget for funding solutions and would continue negotiations with the union.

Nut graf: Councilmembers signaled willingness to consider limited targeted spending to protect staffing in key public‑safety roles while continuing to pursue overall budget balance.

Council context and rationale
- Confidential negotiations: City staff said additional confidential matters were discussed in closed session that inform budget options and could provide alternatives to an outright freeze on the vacancy.
- Staffing and retention concerns: Several councilmembers and public commenters emphasized the importance of promotion potential and retention for public safety and utilities staff; the mayor and other members said they prefer to avoid hollowing out key positions that would risk service continuity.

Ending: Council directed staff to continue budget work and labor negotiations, and to return with budget options that preserve critical positions where feasible.","After a closed session on labor negotiations with the PPOA, the council reported that it will not freeze one police officer position and will seek ways to fund that position while continuing budget deliberations.","actionData","errors"]

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Placerville council, staff say water reclamation staffing tied to upcoming rate study

Placerville council reviews $1.19 million in adjustments to balance FY 2025–26 budget

Placerville council reports out of closed session: one police officer position will not be frozen