The threat of increasingly difficult economic times has led Santa Maria city officials to implement a “voluntary time off” program through the end of this year.
The City Council recently approved the program, which went into effect on Feb. 4, and is encouraging city employees to help balance the budget by taking time off without pay. The program would allow qualifying, full-time employees to take off up to 96 hours during the remainder of 2009.
Mark van de Kamp, a management analyst for the city, said the program is one of the many “proactive steps” the city is taking to protect—and hopefully boost—its coffers.
“So far we’ve had several inquires, and I’ve had people from multiple departments ask me about it,” van de Kamp said.
Approximately 75 percent of the city’s general fund is used to pay for staffing, van de Kamp said. The voluntary time off program would allow the city to save more money. Still, city officials are aware that tough economic times might prevent the program from being fully effective.
“We’re honestly not anticipating a lot of people taking advantage of the program because it’s voluntary and because we suspect that many of our employees are having just as hard of a time in today’s economy,” van de Kamp said.
To compensate, the city has also started enforcing other penny-pinching policies, such as a hiring chill and reductions in departmental spending.
A hiring chill—not a “freeze”—will allow the city to “look at positions on a case-by-case basis,” van de Kamp said. If a position absolutely needs to be filled or is funded through grant money, he explained, the city would consider hiring new employees.
Along with the chill, the City Council recently directed all departments to reduce spending by five percent by June.
“The departments will have to really examine what travel and training is necessary and what can be avoided,” van de Kamp said.
But even with all these monetary precautions, van de Kamp noted, Santa Maria might have to do more. It all depends on what California does to balance its even more problematic budget.
The city might consider turning its voluntary time off program into a mandatory one. The last time Santa Maria implemented such a furlough was in 1993.
The matter will go before the council again at the end of the year to determine if the voluntary program should be extended or if a mandatory program needs to go into effect.
“We don’t have a timetable for the [mandatory program],” van de Kamp said. “But it’s an option that’s out there.”
This article appears in Feb 12-19, 2009.
