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Budget committee asks departments to prepare contingency cuts; flags pool, amphitheater and fee adjustments
Summary
Committee asked each department to prepare contingency plans for 5% and 10% revenue declines, identified nonessential services (pool, amphitheater) as possible targets at larger reductions, and directed members to review the city fee schedule and return suggested changes.
The Citizen Budget Committee asked departments to prepare contingency plans that would cover possible revenue declines of 5% and 10%, and it identified several potential nonessential services and fee adjustments for council consideration.
Why this matters: staff cautioned that sustained drops in sales tax or other revenues could require program reductions, use of rainy‑day funds, or both. The committee recalled the 2008 experience when sales tax fell sharply, forcing hiring freezes, part‑time layoffs and program cuts; members said planning ahead is preferable to crisis reactions.
John, a staff member, asked departments to draft contingency options and emphasize liability and service‑level implications: “If we see a 5% overall reduction, how would that be met?” he asked. Committee members generally agreed that modest shortfalls could be handled through discretionary cuts (training, travel, noncritical supplies), while deeper cuts would require program changes or tapping reserves. Several members flagged the municipal pool and the amphitheater as nonessential or loss‑making services that could be suspended or restructured if revenues deteriorated further; staff said the amphitheater had cost roughly $1.2 million to build and that rental revenue had been small relative to expenses.
On the fee schedule, staff said many fees are routine but some permit modest increases without legal study; however, planning and engineering fees are governed by state law and can be challenged if fees exceed the documented cost of service, so those require formal cost studies. The committee asked staff to send a link to the fee schedule and asked members to identify specific fees or services that should be reviewed in the coming week (by the next Tuesday) so the committee can compile recommendations for the council work session.
Next steps: committee members will submit lists of nonessential services and recommended fee changes to staff within the week; staff will compile the lists and include them in the work‑session materials for council discussion.
