Hollister employees are getting an impression City Council
members aren’t viewing the impending layoffs as just a business
decision.
City employees, frustrated for months, speculating the worst,
have begun to convey an air of optimism.
Hollister employees are getting an impression City Council members aren’t viewing the impending layoffs as just a business decision.
City employees, frustrated for months, speculating the worst, have begun to convey an air of optimism.
Workers, at least some of them, no longer expect the worst – even though 36 people stand to lose their jobs.
Several of them walked up to Councilman Robert Scattini outside City Hall after Wednesday’s fervid meeting to say thanks, minutes after approval of the layoffs.
Scattini had been vocal about thoroughly examining every idea to avoid some of the cuts before the plan takes effect July 1. Other Council members were, too.
He then joined the other four Council members in unanimously approving the “reduction in force” – which they view as a necessary formality before starting negotiations on the proposal.
As it stands, the list includes positions from every department – including the fire chief, finance director and planning director.
But the approval also included verbal commitments from Council members to listen open-mindedly, as a lengthy “meet and confer” process is set to begin between city management and unions.
Plus, a separate adopted resolution requires town hall meetings on potential service cuts, and that city management draft an “organizational plan” for whichever positions remain.
The layoffs would wipe out 23 percent of the Hollister workforce. But, as Councilwoman Pauline Valdivia said, and which was acknowledged by her peers, “Nothing is set in stone.”
“I got the ‘green light’ to begin a very long process,” said City Manager Dale Shaddox, who has received much criticism from employees since the layoff list came out Jan. 9.
Employees get their chance, for five months, to have a say. And Council members say they’ll listen – and change the dreary prospects if at all possible.
“Even though they implemented the reduction in force,” said city engineer and local union president Luis Aguilar, “I think it’s just the beginning of this meet and confer.”
John Vellardita – director of the local Service Employees International Union – seemed hopeful Thursday the Council would follow up on its commitments. Vellardita’s group represents about 70 of 175 city workers.
“We took Council person Valdivia’s motion that was seconded by Council person Conroy as a very good faith effort to essentially exhaust all solutions,” Vellardita said. “We think there’s a very genuine sincerity there.”
Shaddox also seemed pleased Thursday that the plan is progressing.
“I thought the Council displayed a great deal of compassion on the one hand,” he said. “They were very good listeners. On the other hand, I think they made the right decision to move forward in the best interest of the city.”
He also believes employees and Council members are now better understanding the city’s financial mess. He called it a “sober reality.”
According to city projections presented at the meeting, Hollister’s savings would be depleted – even under the current best-case scenario – by 2007. What Shaddox believes is the most realistic estimate shows a $7 million debt by 2009.
And he hasn’t even showed the worst-case scenario, he said. Compared to state government taking away $1.5 million – which Shaddox believes is a sound estimate being used – it could take as much as $4 million next fiscal year.
“I’ve said to the Council and staff, ‘I don’t want to predict the worst-case scenario,'” he said.
Regardless of criticism toward Shaddox from employee groups since he advocated the layoffs, Scattini on Thursday followed suit of other Council members and defended the city manager.
And he said he is tough to please.
“And I can tell you right now,” Scattini said, “that guy satisfies me 100 percent.”
