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Staff report: Hughson City average vacancy about 14%; water-operator roles hardest to fill
Summary
City staff presented the AB2561-required annual report on vacancies, saying the city had 24 budgeted full‑time positions and an average vacancy rate of about 13.9% for FY2025–26; recruitment challenges center on pay competition with larger cities and certified water-operator roles.
HUGHSON CITY — At a public hearing Monday, staff presented the AB2561‑mandated report on city vacancies and workforce retention for fiscal year 2025–26 and answered council questions about recruitment strategies and contracted support.
Dominique, the staff presenter, told the council the city currently has 24 authorized full‑time positions. For the July‑through‑June fiscal window staff recorded seven vacancies created during the year and six filled positions; the average monthly vacancy rate was roughly 13.9% (staff rounded to 14%), with a high month near 21% and a low month near 8%.
“Some of our hardest positions to keep long‑term are water‑operator roles,” Dominique said, explaining those jobs often require certifications and that larger neighboring jurisdictions offer higher wages that draw applicants away. The presentation showed three open positions in the employees association unit and one in mid‑level management at the time of the report.
Dominique summarized recruitment steps the city follows — position review, advertising, testing or interviews where required, conditional offers, pre‑employment screening and start dates — and said the average calendar days to fill a vacancy was 131 days. Staff are using targeted outreach, emphasizing total compensation and benefits in advertisements and cross‑training existing staff to cover staffing gaps while recruiting.
During Q&A a council member asked whether the wastewater treatment operator function is supported by contracted professional services; staff confirmed the city has contracted with Quality Service to provide coverage in recent years and said the city will continue recruiting while using contracted help as needed.
The council took no formal action on the presentation beyond a motion to accept it for the record; that motion was seconded and approved by roll call.
What’s next: Staff said it will schedule interviews for open positions in the coming weeks, continue targeted recruiting (including posting on job platforms such as Indeed) and report back to the council if additional staffing assessments or budget adjustments are recommended.
