County parks facing shortfall

Of its $8.5 million budget, Holland must cut 10 percent of the net county cost, or roughly $654,000. Holland cut five vacant positions and expects to net $133,000 in fee increases and changes.

There are no current plans to shutter parks as the strategy doesn’t work because people still enter and use them, Holland said. Instead, the department is skirting the possibility if asked to cut any further.

"We pretty much only have enough money to keep the gates open and do some basic minimal maintenance,” Holland said.

Instead, the parks are putting off upkeep that eventually builds to a point at which it costs more to fix.

While the budget differences include negatives like deferred maintenance, there are also changes that might prove positive: Reductions in some picnic rental fees and a pilot program to let RVs camp overnight at Coyote Point.

The parks department turned to innovation, Holland said, splitting picnic areas in two and reducing rental rates, setting aside three RV sites at Coyote Point with plans to increase them to a dozen if popular and pricing higher camp sites that look out at the bay.

Holland realizes parks are not as high a priority as needs like public safety but said they provide quality of life.

While Holland doesn’t expect to ask the supervisors for any exceptions Tuesday, he will give them notice that $500,000 in funds for coastside commitments must be found in the future.

The county, he said, agreed to take over the old section of Highway 1 after the Devil’s Slide Tunnel opens, turning it into trails and open space. The work will require three positions and a half-million more dollars than allocated now, he said.

"It’s a commitment we can’t walk away from,” said Holland. "It’s a challenge that needs to be addressed, maybe not this year but I’m putting it on the table.”

The goal now is learning to do more with less, he said — a lesson other department heads will be illustrating too.

The Board of Supervisors tackled its big ticket departments last Tuesday during a half-day study session and will consider the others March 30.

Aside from parks, those under the microscope now are the offices of Child Support, Human Resources, Planning and Building, Housing, County Library, Public Works, Assessor, Controller, County Counsel, Board of Supervisors, County Manager/Clerk of the Board, Treasurer/Tax Collector and Information Services.

Although the budgets scheduled for consideration do not equate those from before, they will nonetheless have a tangible impact on the county and its residents, according to presentation slides readied for the study session.

The Human Services Agency has already restricted purchasing g and travel, closed a cafe run by vocational rehabilitation clients, reduced its overtime and contracts and cut vacant positions. Now, it’s looking at millions of dollars in reductions that officials say could potentially increase the homeless population, hike employment caseloads and limit the experiences of the disabled.

Adding to the hit, the state could potentially reduce funds by millions of dollars more for Medi-Cal, child care, welfare and CalWorks to name some.

The Human Resources Department is looking at a $368,228 reduction which means the lowest staffing levels since 2001-2002.

The Planning and Building Department had a 20 percent reduction target — equivalent to $357,933 — which meant three positions already and 10 more proposed.

Public Works is facing a $61,605 reductions in net county cost by decreasing general fund support of the Fair Oaks Community Center. It  had already reduced operating costs by more than $5 million with steps that include eliminating 19 positions. Other reductions in administration, engineering and facilities could mean deferred capital improvements, delays in responding to public requests and fewer workers to respond during emergencies.

Like HSA, the department is also facing unknowns from the state because of the gas tax swap and the constant threat of deferral or borrowing for funds used to maintain local streets and roads.

Retiring Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder Warren Slocum plans to paint a grim portrait for his successor, expected to be current supervisor Mark Church: More than $600,000 in reductions means five more positions eliminated, errors, back logs and an immediate drop in revenues. Slocum calls the drop in revenues a short-term effect but adds the long-term "lack of public trust and confidence in the ability of the county to provide mandated services.”

The Controller’s Office likewise notes that more than $458,000 in reductions could mean increased risk of errors which in turns could affect the county’s credit rating and the availability of grant money.

The County Counsel’s Office is meeting $382,000 in cuts in part by not filling vacancies, including one spot left empty when an attorney was appointed to Superior Court judge.

The treasurer-tax collector is looking at more than $110,000 in cuts to meet its 10 percent reduction. Since 2008, the department has cut operating costs by $1.8 million. It is now looking at eliminating three vacant positions which should have little impact because they’ve been empty a year. Long term, however, choosing not to replace worn computers and printers may be felt if the economy does not rebound in the next five years.

Boesch hopes to know by the end of April if the state budget will require more cuts on the county level.

The county will publish its recommended budget May 28, followed by budget hearings June 21-23. Tweaks due to labor negotiations, a possible revenue measure and the state will happen through September at the end of which the Board of Supervisors will adopt its final budget.

The Board of Supervisors meets 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 30 in Board Chambers, 400 County Government Center, Redwood City.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.