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Council debates rehiring two street department positions amid budget crunch
Summary
Council members and street department leadership clashed over rehiring two vacant street positions. The department said it is short two workers; some council members urged absorbing one vacancy through attrition until the July budget review.
The City of Cuba’s street department reported two vacancies and asked the council to approve rehiring to restore operational capacity, particularly for summer maintenance and snow removal preparedness.
"As of right now, the street department is short, 2 people," the department head said, noting retirements and transfers had left the crew smaller than usual. The official said borrowing staff between departments during peak seasons has been increasingly difficult.
One council member cautioned against hiring two positions immediately amid what they described as a "budget crunch," and recommended absorbing one vacancy through attrition until the city’s July budget process provides clearer cash-flow data. "We're in a budget crunch," the council member said, urging fiscal caution and use of attrition where possible.
The department argued that reduced staffing increases operational strain during snow events and summer projects, increases liability exposure and reduces the ability to complete scheduled work. Council members discussed training timelines — suggesting hiring earlier would allow months of on-the-job training before winter — and also noted existing practice of temporarily borrowing staff from other departments when workloads peak.
No final vote on additional hires occurred; council members indicated they would consider the request in the context of overall budget transfers and the upcoming budget review.
