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Board okays $50,000 budget consultant, approves temporary hiring freeze with limited exceptions
Summary
Supervisors authorized up to $50,000 to hire a government-budgeting consultant to assist with the FY 2025-26 budget and approved a temporary hiring freeze (exceptions for public safety and the CAO position) to be reviewed at upcoming budget meetings.
The Board of Supervisors on May 6 authorized the interim county administrative officer to retain an outside government-budgeting consultant for up to $50,000 to assist with completion of the FY 2025-26 budget and methodology recommendations. Separately, the board approved a temporary hiring freeze with limited exceptions to maintain fiscal control while the budget is finalized.
The ad hoc budget committee and interim CAO Henry Ring explained the county is undergoing administrative transitions (including the CAO and budget-officer roles) and needs outside expertise to review methodology and provide an additional set of eyes on the numbers. "We are in a transition in our administration," an ad hoc member said. "We need a firm consultant with expertise in government budgeting to do so." The board unanimously approved the consultant engagement.
On the hiring freeze, board members discussed concerns about critical vacancies in departments such as behavioral health and RMA (public works). Labor representative Jay Donato of SEIU Local 521 urged exceptions where services would be harmed and asked for a reasonable, transparent exemption process. County staff and supervisors agreed the freeze should allow department heads to seek exemptions; the board directed departments to present critical hiring requests at the May 13 budget review or other special meetings for consideration.
The hiring-freeze motion passed 4-1; Supervisor Sotelo voted no. The board also set a schedule for upcoming budget meetings and hearings: May 13 budget review (with an OPEB presentation and vacancy report), May 29 special meeting for budget review and a potential June 9 budget hearing.
Supervisors said the temporary actions are intended to avoid making additional commitments until the budget picture is clearer and to reduce the risk of more painful choices later. County staff were asked to prioritize critical positions already in an advanced offer stage for review at the May 13 session so recruitments that are already well underway are not wasted.
