The Hollister City Council listened to employees plead for their
jobs Monday and then approved a plan that would salvage the 12
remaining positions from the originally planned layoff of 36,
leaving a $913,000 projected budget deficit next fiscal year.
The Hollister City Council listened to employees plead for their jobs Monday and then approved a plan that would salvage the 12 remaining positions from the originally planned layoff of 36, leaving a $913,000 projected budget deficit next fiscal year.
And Councilwoman Pauline Valdivia’s decision to vote despite her daughter’s job being at stake didn’t make a difference, as the council voted 4-1. Mayor Tony Bruscia was the only council member publicly against the plan. Beforehand, he cited the city’s $4 million to $5 million structural deficit that awaits in future years.
The vote diverged 180 degrees from the council’s tone a week ago, when three of four council members supported laying off some or all of the 12 workers. Councilman Brian Conroy missed three consecutive meetings before Monday and voted with council members Tony LoBue, Robert Scattini and Valdivia.
The end result – and the additional $534,000 projected burden the council accepted by saving the jobs – left several anxious employees overwhelmed with relief.
Many hugged one other after the vote. Some cried.
“Tensions have been extreme and unbearable,” said public works clerical worker Renee Perales, whose job was one of the 12 at stake Monday. “I’m speechless at this point. I’m happy it’s over, happy I still have a job.”
She embraced other Hollister workers whose livelihoods depended on the vote, some who have been employed by the city for many years.
One was Christine Black, a clerical worker with the Hollister Fire Department.
“It’s been hard,” Black said. “I’m not sure it’s over. But it’s the most positive thing so far.”
Bruscia’s sentiments before the vote were met with some cold stares and murmurs from the gallery. Council meeting regular Eva Reyna even blared after the vote, “This guy ain’t going to be sitting there next year,” in reference to the upcoming November election and the mayor’s open seat.
Still, Bruscia followed the conservative conviction of former City Manager Dale Shaddox, who recommended 36 layoffs before abruptly retiring in April after 11 months on the job.
Shaddox’s dire five-year financial projections spurred the council’s approval of that plan in late January. It also turned many city employees sour on the former city manager, a feeling since shifting toward Bruscia.
Though an independent financial study showed some discrepancies in Shaddox’s figures, Bruscia again Monday noted a commonality in the two outlooks: severe shortfalls that demand severe cuts. The city and union split the cost of that study done by the Harvey Rose Accountancy Corp.
Bruscia has pointed out that millions in future deficits could lead to further, and more painful, cuts down the road.
“We took a baby step,” Bruscia said after the meeting. “And I’m concerned the longer we put it off the harder and worse it’s going to be.”
Monday’s decision ended months of anxiety among employee ranks. After the council approved the layoffs in January, Hollister offered early retirement to many workers. Twelve of them – including Shaddox – accepted the offer. After others on the layoff list since left for other jobs, 22 of the 36 positions were departed.
Now, only one person faces an actual layoff. And that’s Recreation Services Manager Robert Ornelas, who is being sued by seven women for alleged sexual harassment. City officials, however, say that position was cut because the Recreation Division’s programs will severely diminish starting this summer – not because of the pending litigation.
Through the three-plus-hour meeting Monday, many speakers, most being city employees, pursued that result.
Before the public comments began, Valdivia recited a prepared speech. She declared she would vote despite her daughter’s standing. Valdivia acknowledged some residents, even council members, perceived a conflict of interest, she said.
“I was voted into this position to make decisions for the community,” said Valdivia, her announcement met with applause from a gallery largely composed of city employees.
Only one resident, former council candidate and meeting gadfly Paul Grannis, spoke against saving all the jobs.
He advocated that public safety positions should be first priority. Several police officer positions have been cut or left unfilled in the past two years – currently compounded by injuries further depleting the force. And the council may not hire more firefighters to staff the upcoming Fire Station No. 2 next year, which would thin current ranks between two sites.
Grannis requested of the council: For each of the 12 employees kept, the city should hire a police officer.
“And due to the constant threat of terrorist activity, no one knows what the future will bring,” Grannis told the council.
But Grannis’ skepticism was submerged by a throng of city workers and union officials telling council members Hollister is better off with than without them.
“I believe that things will turn around soon enough to retain these 12 employees,” said Carol Lanoir, a city worker whose job was not on the layoff list.
Despite Monday’s approval, Council members still want to negotiate with unions over ways to decrease the city’s personnel costs.
Local Service Employees International Union head John Vellardita called the approval a “good faith” effort by the council. And employees want to help the city out of its budget problems, he said.
“We’re not in the business of short-changing the public in any way,” he said.
Scattini, who made the approved motion, only a week ago chastised Valdivia and Quilter for advocating the same plan. He changed his mind, he said, after further talks with Quilter.
“He really feels we can get by with the hope that the union would work with us,” Scattini said. “They’re going to have to do something because next year we’ll be in the same boat.”
