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Willows holds first AB 2561 annual hearing on job vacancies; city reports low vacancy rate but notes turnover
Summary
Under AB 2561 the city presented its first annual report on job vacancies, saying Willows has 18 authorized full-time positions, a 5.5% overall vacancy rate and recruitment challenges for specialized roles; council discussed turnover and the value of exit interviews.
Willows held its first annual public hearing under Assembly Bill 2561 on June 24 to review city vacancies, recruitment and retention strategies. The session is required annually before the budget is approved.
City Clerk Caroline presented staffing figures: the city has 18 authorized full-time positions and reported an overall vacancy rate of 5.5% with two current vacancies at the time of the hearing. The clerk said the two vacancies were in the general bargaining unit of eight full-time employees—the mechanic and the library clerk—yielding a 25% vacancy rate within that unit. The city reported an overall retention rate of 94% and an average turnover rate of 5.5%.
The presentation summarized recruitment channels (Indeed, specialized job boards, Facebook, the city website and the county job bulletin), partnerships with Glenn County Community Action, and internship/job training programs. Retention measures described included updated compensation studies, cost-of-living adjustments, employee development and flexible schedules. Staff identified barriers including a limited applicant pool for specialized roles, lengthy background checks and noncompetitive salaries compared with larger nearby cities.
Council members asked questions about historical turnover; staff said turnover has been comparatively high over the past four years in multiple departments and that the city has not yet implemented a formal exit-interview process. Council members suggested formalizing exit interviews as an HR policy to gather data about separation reasons. The council took the matter under submission—no formal action was required beyond the hearing—and directed staff to continue recruitment and retention work and to report back.
