PORT ANGELES — Clallam County has carved more than $2 million out of a $2.7 million shortfall by laying off 15 workers and making other major cuts to next year’s budget.
An earlier proposal to shorten the work week to 37.5 hours has been replaced by a new proposal to close the courthouse for 16 days in 2012 so county employees can take unpaid furlough days, County Administrator Jim Jones announced Tuesday.
The draft budget that Jones presented Monday shows a $697,070 shortfall with $31 million in general fund revenue compared with $31.7 million in expenses.
The county will dip into its $9.4 million reserve to balance the budget, leaving $8.7 million in the emergency fund.
“The reason for this particular draft is to facilitate public comment for the hearing on the budget,” Jones said.
Commissioners Tuesday set public hearings on next year’s budget for Dec. 6.
The hearings are scheduled for
10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. in Room 160 at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
Jones said the current shortfall is a “big improvement” from the roll-up budget he presented Sept. 6.
That budget had a $2.7 shortfall and twice as many layoffs.
“It reflects the fact that the commissioners, the department heads and union leaders have really come together trying to prevent further layoffs that would not only be devastating to individuals involved, but would make it nearly impossible for the county to provide all of the needed services, which are mandated by law and expected by citizens in 2012,” Jones said.
The 15 people being laid off will work through Nov. 30. Six other positions were reduced to part time.
Jones said the courthouse will be closed on yet-to-be-determined Mondays, like an unpaid holiday.
“We’ll be working on that later in December,” he said.
The budget is a work-in-progress until the three commissioners adopt a final budget next month.
The county would continue to provide 24-hour law enforcement coverage and other emergency services when the courthouse is closed.
Jones’ latest budget reflects the cost of — but no revenue from — a law and justice departments’ request to put a one-tenth-of-1-percent juvenile facilities sales tax increase on the February ballot.
If it is placed on the ballot and voters approve it, the additional tax would generate about $1 million per year and prevent further layoffs in law and justice departments, Jones said.
The earlier proposal to shorten the work week to 37.5 hours would have affected the 164 employees who are still working 40-hour weeks.
It would not have affected sheriff’s sergeants and deputies, Corrections sergeants and deputies, and juvenile Corrections officers.
Sixteen unpaid furlough days amounts to a 6.13 percent pay cut.
All county employees, including elected officials and department heads, will take the cut.
Jones and the three commissioners have already volunteered to take a 10 percent pay cut to save an administrative job in their office.
Commissioner Mike Chapman, the board’s union liaison, said the negotiations were focused on saving jobs.
He thanked the unions for working with the county on concessions.
“Thus far, I have to publicly state that they have brought solutions to the table,” Chapman said.
Chapman said there is one more key union vote this week.
“It’s been about saving jobs,” Chapman said.
“I think there’s still hope that maybe some of those 15 layoffs could be rescinded if we can continue to reach out in further negotiations.”
Chapman said the good-faith negotiations have allowed the county to get to a “much more manageable” budget, save jobs and reduce service cuts to the public.
“I, for one, who started this discussion in late August or early September by publicly stating that I thought we needed to reach out to the unions to get their help — I’m back to report that we’ve done exactly that,” Chapman said.
“We’ve made a tremendous amount of progress. Hopefully, we’ll finish up that progress this week.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
