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Mayor: part‑time layoffs would close pools, parks and events; city could face $11–$13M shortfall in 2026
Summary
Mayor Grant presented a department-by-department review showing the scope of part-time and seasonal employees and warned that collective-bargaining layoff rules mean cutting part-time staff would curtail summer programs and city services.
Mayor Grant presented a detailed breakdown on June 23 of how potential budget reductions would affect city services, saying collective bargaining agreements and layoff order rules mean that cutting positions could disproportionately affect part‑time and seasonal staff and the programs they support.
The mayor said the city’s part‑time wage bill in 2024 was roughly $3.3 million and that the city currently employs about 462 temporary and seasonal staff. She warned that citywide layoff rules in the three collective bargaining agreements would require eliminating part‑time/temporary staff before probationary or permanent employees, and that sequence would have broad service impacts. “When employees are laid off, the employees and department and class affected shall be laid off in the following order…unclassified, part time or temporary, probationary, and then permanent,” she said.
Departments and services the mayor said rely heavily on part‑time staff included:
- Parks and Recreation: about 389 part‑time employees (2024 wages/benefits roughly $2.0 million; seasonal revenue of about $896,000). The mayor said pools, park rangers, horticulture and youth sports would be at risk.
- Swimming pools: about 106 temporary employees; without them, the mayor said the city would likely have to close all pools for lack of lifeguards and staff.
- Police Department: about 40 part‑time employees (dispatch, clerks, CSI and other functions). The mayor said the department’s ongoing staffing shortage means part‑time roles are critical to operations.
- Public works and other departments: multiple temporary construction inspectors, maintenance workers and clerks that scale by project need.
Mayor Grant said the city’s revenue is under pressure. She cited an 8.6% year‑over‑year drop in an unspecified measure and a 6.6% decline in sales tax year to date, saying the city could be facing “anywhere from 11 to $13,000,000 in a deficit for 2026’s budget if we don't find another revenue source.” She noted the city’s reserves were about $19 million at the time of the presentation.
Councilors asked about sequencing and whether unfilled positions could be used to reduce the need for layoffs. The mayor and staff noted there are typically dozens of unfilled positions citywide that are counted in the budget but not filled in practice, and the mayor suggested the city explore reductions in non‑operational budgets and contractual spending as part of a longer process.
Councilors and the mayor discussed options including asking the city attorney to review legal and bargaining options, considering targeted 15% reductions in operating budgets, prioritizing police recruiting and retention, and seeking community input on potential revenue measures. No formal budget decisions were made at the meeting; staff said the material was intended to inform upcoming budget deliberations.
