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Council approves temporary hiring freeze for general‑fund positions, excluding bargained employees
Summary
The committee voted unanimously to enact a temporary hiring freeze covering full‑time and permanent part‑time general‑fund positions and to bar discretionary step increases for non‑bargaining staff while the council monitors budget developments.
The Committee of the Whole approved a temporary hiring freeze affecting general‑fund employees, with a carve‑out for bargaining‑unit positions whose step movements are contractually required.
Council members discussed scope and implementation language, emphasizing that the freeze should apply to full‑time and permanent part‑time positions and should prohibit discretionary step increases for nonbargaining staff. One councilor summarized the intent: to centralize hiring decisions during the current budget review rather than broadly block necessary seasonal or prebudgeted hires.
Council agreed to revisit the policy during the next budget cycle and to allow specific, council‑approved exceptions if vital positions become vacant. The motion carried on roll call with unanimous support.
