Measure's defeat means Clovis layoffs

About 10 people will be laid off; more cuts possible.

Published online on Friday, Mar. 06, 2009

Layoffs that may have been staved off by voter approval of Clovis' Measure A now will go through as planned next week.

Much of the impact of Tuesday's Measure A defeat will not be felt until the beginning of July, but the city's recreation program and planning department likely will face the first cuts.

Measure A would have added a penny to the city's sales tax for 10 years before dropping to three-quarters of a cent. The measure would have raised nearly $13 million per year to restore $8 million in city services that have been cut in the past three years, but 67% of voters opposed the measure.

Instead, the city will lay off about 10 people, and possibly more, next week, said Clovis City Manager Kathy Millison.

The measure's margin of defeat sent a strong message to Clovis city government, said Mayor Bob Whalen, the only City Council member to oppose the measure.

"I think residents spoke strongly that they don't want the government coming in and taking their money," he said. "Now, we all will have to be rowing in the same direction."

He said it will be the city's responsibility to improve the local economy by changing the development fee structure and lowering the price on business licenses.

But he also said the city will need to examine salaries and benefits of employees, administration and council members.

"We have no long-term contracts with city employees so we can visit with them about what needs to be done," Whalen said. "Times are tough everywhere, and the government is not going to be immune."

Council Member Harry Armstrong, who backed the measure, was able to lobby for a delay of the layoffs for one month.

He said the city may not know where more cuts will come from if voters oppose six state measures intended to add state revenue in a May special election. If the measures fail, the state may look to take funds from cities and counties.

But, he said, furloughs could occur for police and firefighters.

"We will have to see how that affects the service levels," Armstrong said. "There is no one place to go to make up the shortfall."

Armstrong, who donated $15,000 in campaign funds to support Measure A, said he has confidence in city employees.

"They will give it every effort they can," he said. "They are all very dedicated and think the world of the community."

But they will only be able to do so much, he said.

Code enforcement already has been noticeably slashed, but the effects will not be seen until the spring when grass and weeds begin to grow, Millison said.

"We need an army of volunteers to work on weed control and general appearance," she said. "We can't put citizens on median islands, but we can get people onto trails and into the parks."

Three full-time recreation employees and part-time workers at the city's senior center will be laid off next week, forcing immediate program cuts, said Robert Ford, the city's general services director.

The initial effects likely will be felt in the city's recreation division, where about 300 youths participate.

Three of five full-time employees are being laid off next week.

Glen Beatrez, the city's recreation supervisor, said the city is cutting 15 to 17 programs for the spring. He said participation reached record highs this year and the coming summer session is the busiest time.

"The biggest disservice is going to be to the youth of the community," he said. "We have had more participants this year and that's probably because of the economy and people not going away for vacations."

Millison described the recreation program cuts as the "saddest cutback of all."

"We need constructive and supervised play activity for kids in our community," she said. "We will be sending a notice out to service clubs to try and make summer a good time for kids in our community."

Delays also likely will occur in processing building permits, said Dwight Kroll, the city's planning and development services director.

His department is losing nine -- one-third -- of its full-time employees and six part-time employees.

"We don't exactly know how the impacts are going to hit us quite yet," Kroll said. "We are going to internally look at this to provide the best service possible with the limited staffing we have."

Kroll's department includes planning, engineering and building. Efforts are being made to combine all three divisions into one department to share resources.

"We will try to reduce time and processing, but there are things that take time to check," Kroll said. "It benefits nobody to hold up permits."