Board approves midyear budget package, including 15% cuts and layoffs
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Summary
The board approved a midyear budget package that implements the county’s direction to cut non-public-safety budgets by 15% (prorated for the fiscal year), move $2.6 million to contingency, and authorize personnel actions that include 22.5 eliminated positions and issuance of layoff notices. The package passed on a 4–1 recorded vote.
The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday adopted a midyear budget package that implements board direction to reduce general-fund spending and address projected deficits.
Deputy County Administrator Liz Petersen and budget staff laid out the package in detail. The board’s January direction required a 15% reduction to general-fund departments (prorated for the remainder of the fiscal year), excluding public-safety departments and—by later direction—library and recreation. Departments were allowed to identify ongoing revenue or other offsets where available.
Staff reported total reductions and revenue adjustments of roughly $2,598,680 moved into general-fund contingencies. Personnel actions tied to the package include elimination of 22.5 allocated positions (10 filled positions and 12.5 vacant), issuance of layoff notices for certain filled positions and the freezing or deletion of others; two part-time positions and one full-time position were approved for later hiring. Departments that were excluded from mandatory cuts provided voluntary contributions that did not reduce service levels, staff said.
In presenting the item, Petersen said the midyear package reflected both regular midyear grant and revenue adjustments and the board’s specific direction on deep structural reductions. Sean Cole (administrative analyst) summarized staffing changes and said the net impact was about a 10% reduction in the general-fund workforce (excluding public safety) for the coming year.
Chief Probation Officer Dan Hawkes and other department heads described programs funded with non-county grants. Hawkes said the Tuolumne Homeless Outreach van was purchased with a competitive state grant and that no county funds were used for that vehicle; he asked the board to guard against misinformation that the program used county general funds.
The board voted 4–1 to approve the budget adjustments and personnel actions (Supervisor Campbell voted no). The package includes: moving $2,598,680 to contingencies; approving the updated allocated-positions list; directing issuance of layoff notices for identified filled positions (details in attachments); and approving specific midyear appropriation changes listed in the staff report.
Staff said the cuts will carry forward into the next fiscal year and asked the board to use April and June budget workshops to refine a longer-term financial plan. The board scheduled further budget work and directed staff to explore efficiency and revenue options, including potential regional partnerships, process modernization, and targeted program reductions.
Key numbers and changes cited by staff: - Targeted reduction (15% prorated): approximately $1.6 million in recurring adjustments; net package about $2.6 million after departmental revenue offsets. - Personnel: 22.5 positions eliminated (10 filled, 12.5 vacant); several frozen positions; 2 part-time and 1 full-time positions approved for future hire; net estimated general-fund savings for the remainder of the fiscal year listed in staff materials.
Outcome: Board approved the midyear budget adjustments and associated personnel actions by recorded vote 4–1 (Holland, Griefer, Kirk and Brandon in favor; Campbell opposed). Staff will return with additional budget materials and implementation steps as the fiscal-year process continues.
The board also directed that capital-project revisions related to dispatch upgrades and other items remain under staff review and that staff come back with proposals and cost breakdowns at a future meeting.
