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Gonzales holds AB 2561 public hearing on city vacancies, recruitment and retention
Summary
City staff reported on staffing levels and recruitment and retention efforts under Assembly Bill 2561; no formal action was taken.
GONZALES, Calif. — City staff on Monday presented the annual Assembly Bill 2561 public hearing on job vacancies, recruitment and retention, reporting current staffing counts, recruitment channels and the constraints that limit hiring and retention. The council heard the report and took no formal action.
The hearing, required under AB 2561, asked agencies to disclose vacancies and their recruitment and retention efforts before budget adoption. City staff member Carmen told the council the city has 44 full‑time positions and 11 part‑time positions, and that 22 of the full‑time positions are represented by labor unions. Carmen said the city currently had three open recruitments: a police captain, a police officer, and a community development technician, and that the city has made one conditional offer to a police officer candidate and expects a police recruit to start soon.
The report matter-of-factly outlined recruitment efforts: ongoing recruitment for certain positions, use of volunteer firefighter and police explorer programs, internships from CSUMB and Hartnell College, and job postings on LinkedIn, Indeed, montereyjobs.com, Facebook and the city website. Carmen said police and fire chiefs attend academies and graduations to connect with potential recruits.
Carmen highlighted retention challenges tied to limited local budgets, higher compensation offered by neighboring jurisdictions and the high cost of housing. “We work to create a supportive work environment,” Carmen said, listing family‑friendly scheduling, mental‑health support, training opportunities and education stipends as retention measures.
Council members asked questions about positions being held vacant because of budget constraints. Carmen said some positions in public works and other departments are being deferred where feasible and that the development technician position has been open since October and remains difficult to fill.
No members of the public spoke on the AB 2561 item either in the chambers or via Zoom; staff said unions had been notified and invited to present but none appeared for the hearing. The item concluded with the council receiving the report for the record; there was no vote or directive recorded to change hiring policy.
The presentation will be part of the public record used in the council’s upcoming budget deliberations.
