On June 14, Santa Maria public information officer Mark van de Kamp sent out an email explaining that some city departments would begin closing every Friday starting on June 29.
He said the decision was made due to budget cuts.
“The Friday closures are in an effort to aid staff in completing job duties during this time of unfilled and unfunded vacant positions,” van de Kamp wrote. “The city is continuing to balance its budget with many strategies, including not filling vacant positions where possible.”
The closures will not affect the police department, library, or the recreation and parks, and utilities departments.
This is not the first time Santa Maria city offices have closed on Fridays due to budget constraints. In 2010 through 2013 the city was closed for a total of 49 furlough days. Santa Maria also used the furlough program in 1994 and again in 1995.
“The city regrets any inconvenience,” van de Kamp said, adding that citizens are asked to schedule their in-person business on other weekdays, and when possible to utilize online services at cityofsantamaria.org.
Closure signs in both English and Spanish will be posted at all affected buildings, and notices will be added on Santa Maria’s website.
Also starting on Friday, June 29, the city will implement a 9/80 alternative work schedule for full-time employees in participating departments.
“Some employees are voluntarily adjusting their work schedules to 80 hours over a nine-day period,” van de Kamp explained.
The effect on the public should be minimal, he said.
Santa Maria is not the first city in the county to adjust its schedule due to budgetary issues. Goleta’s offices are closed every Friday, while Santa Barbara offices are closed every other Friday due to a similar 9/80 work schedule.
Questions may be directed to the city manager’s office at (805) 925-0951, Ext. 2372.
Highlights:
• On June 23, the Santa Maria Valley League of Women Voters will honor four local women who were “instrumental in founding the league more than 50 years ago” and helped ensure its existence. The league will host a luncheon celebrating the women at Pico’s Restaurant at 458 Bell St. in Los Alamos. The women to be honored are: Margaret Cooper, Louise Hammond, Barbara Karamitsos, and Nancy K. Johnson. The luncheon begins at noon. Tickets are $25.50 for members and $10 more for non members. For tickets, contact Virginia Souza at (805) 714-0416.
• Firestone Walker Brewing Company recently celebrated its longest running beer tap, which has helped bartenders serve heavy pours for 22 years. The tap is located at The Hitching Post 2 restaurant in Buellton and serves the brand’s Double Barrel Ale (DBA). Co-founder David Walker stated following the news that, “In a world of reflexive change and morphing tastes, this place is an outlier. The Hitching Post 2 remains as constant and unchanged as the California sunshine, and it’s cool that DBA has hitched a ride on that enduring philosophy.”
• The nonprofit Peoples’ Self-Help Housing recently received a $2,500 donation after local farmer Milo Ferini, owner of Betteravia Farms, nominated the organization to the America’s Farmers Grow Communities Program. The program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, provides farmers the opportunity to support and give back to their community each year by nominating a local nonprofit for a direct donation. The donation funded a campus tour of UCLA for members of PSHH’s College Club, a service of the Educational Programs Department that offers support and resources for those preparing for, or already in, higher education.
Staff Writer Spencer Cole wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, mail, or email at spotlight@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 21-28, 2018.