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Fremont council approves $3.8M midyear rebalancing to cover new labor contracts; cuts proposed to personnel and services
Summary
City staff proposed a midyear rebalancing to cover $3.8 million in increased labor costs (about $3.1 million in the general fund); the council approved the measures, which include eliminating some administrative and detention facility positions while avoiding sworn police and fire layoffs, and directed staff to implement offsets to keep the budget balanced.
Finance staff told the council the city reached agreements with all nine labor unions that increase ongoing compensation and benefits by $3.8 million this year, of which about $3.1 million affects the general fund.
"To bring the general fund back into balance, we're recommending amendments making offsetting ongoing expenditure reductions," Finance Director Dave Pursland said. He outlined department reduction targets proportional to each department’s share of the increased costs and said staff tried to minimize service impacts. Pursland emphasized that the recommended eliminations do not include sworn police or fire positions and that the city does not anticipate layoffs; some vacant positions would be eliminated or reclassified.
The plan assigns most of the burden to departments with the largest shares of general‑fund spending (police, fire, maintenance) and includes reductions in overtime, temporary and part‑time staffing, training, service agreements, and general fund support for certain cost centers. Staff warned that lower staffing and reduced overtime could lengthen customer wait times, delay vendor payments, and reduce training capacity.
Public comment included a speaker who criticized midyear rebalancing as "fudging numbers" and urged more transparent accounting; staff responded that rebalancing is needed to reflect new labor costs already agreed in negotiations.
Councilmember Campbell moved to accept staff’s recommendation for the rebalancing; Councilmember Lu seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Staff said some reductions could be restored in future years if additional funding becomes available, and directed departments to minimize service impacts where possible.
