PORT TOWNSEND — Hearing the overall magnitude of Jefferson County’s financial woes Monday, county commissioners set a Dec. 7 public hearing on a proposed $53.3 million budget that cuts 10 staff positions, reduces services and closes parks to narrow a $1.9 million funding gap over the next four years.
“These cuts have been painful and impact public services in every department,” County Administrator Philip Morley told the commissioners Monday morning.
The public hearing will be in the Superior Court courtroom on the third floor of the county courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend.
The funding gap reflects the current recession and dramatic declines in sales and real estate excise taxes and construction fees, Morley said.
New construction, which he said “significantly saved our bacon” in past years, has also fallen with the rest.
He said county sales tax revenues are projected to be 10 percent less than 2006 levels.
Morley listed already-made county budget cuts, including 10 layoffs and positions left unfilled, along with cutting remaining staff hours to 36.
Hardest hit since the 2009 budget is the Department of Community Development, and in 2010 the department — short on construction revenues — plans to cut 3.8 full-time-equivalent positions.
Community Development cut staff by eight in December 2008 and laid off three more in August 2009.
The department’s 2010 budget is proposed to be $375,000 less than the 2009 budget, excluding pass-through expenses, Morley said.
Pre-existing measures
Community Development will continue to be closed on Fridays.
The county will shift $216,000 from its road fund levy banked capacity to the general fund in 2010 and possibly in 2011, he said.
The Department of Public Health two months ago closed the Environmental Health Division on Fridays, cut Public Health nurse support to many mothers of newborns and curtailed family planning clinics by one day a week.
The county Sept. 28 announced it would close four parks and cut maintenance to six parks this year, then reduce maintenance to six more parks in 2010.
The parks system “is putting most of its county facilities on life support,” Morley said.
In October, Washington State University Cooperative Extension, which the county contracts for economic development and other services, reduced staffing and closed on Fridays.
The cuts will bring the county staff to 287.5 full-time-equivalent positions in 2010, Morley reported.
“The difficult public service cuts we are recommending in 2010 will position Jefferson County for budget stability in 2010 and 2011 if revenues hold at today’s levels,” Morley told county commissioners.
“However, by 2012 further program and service cuts will likely be necessary, unless the state Legislature or our citizens are willing to provide additional funding to maintain services even at 2010’s reduced levels.”
Staff cuts include 2.75 full-time-equivalent positions in Public Health and 2.64 such positions in Parks and Recreation.
Sheriff’s cutbacks
The county Sheriff’s Office eliminated its undersheriff position, a deputy, a corrections officer and an almost full-time data entry clerk but added staffing fully funded by grant and contraction positions, including a community policing officer paid by federal stimulus dollars and a West End deputy the Hoh tribe paid for on contract.
A sheriff’s clerk was hired through a state grant for 2010.
All county branches and departments together made a 4.7 percent reduction amount to $575,000 and are working to cut $500,000 more, according to Morley.
Community services such as Olympic Community Action Programs, Port Townsend seniors and Gardiner Community Center are losing 4.7 percent of their county allocations.
During Monday’s meeting, County Commissioner John Austin called it “the most difficult budget year that we’ve had,” adding that it came with the most collaboration among department heads.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
