The San Benito County Board of Supervisors approved additional staff reductions Tuesday that will amount to a savings of $194,840 for the 2012-13 fiscal year while also approving department schedules that will allow some offices to be closed to the public for a portion of the work week.
Jacki Credico, a human resource analyst, said in an attachment that some of the changes were included in the proposed budget process while others are new requests.
Supervisor Margie Barrios asked county staff members to bring back a complete list of all the layoffs or reduced hours to the next supervisors’ meeting.
The list included a layoff of an administrative service specialist from the planning department, as well as a demotion of an account clerk supervisor from the auditor’s office and a probation officer III down to a probation officer II. Hours were reduced for an assistant board clerk, an HR technician, a management analyst, an accountant III, a deputy county counsel, a facilities manager and a senior engineer.
Supervisor Anthony Botelho raised a concern that the layoff in the planning department was for a person who had planned to retire in two months. He was concerned that by laying the person off now, the county may incur unemployment costs for the position.
“I can’t make any guarantee the person wouldn’t apply for unemployment as is their right,” Credico said.
Joe Paul Gonzalez, the county auditor, said the department heads were expected to calculate any cost they might incur from unemployment benefits, or payouts of vacation or sick leave as part of their budgets.
“Once it is proposed (the budget) no other costs are allowed,” Gonzalez said.
In response to the reduction of staff for many departments, Credico brought forth requests from some department heads to close their office to the public during some regular work hours.
“In response to ongoing furloughs, reductions and layoffs it has been difficult at times to maintain customer service,” Credico said. “They want to close to the public to complete other tasks.”
The assessor’s office will be closed to the public on Friday, with hours on Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 4 p.m. The elections/clerk/recorder’s office will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., to meet the needs of the public. Planning and building, public works, and the tax collector/treasurer will also be closed to the public on Fridays.
“The changes being requested at this time are solely due to the decrease of county resources and not a reflection of the needs of the services provided to the public,” Credico noted in the agenda item.
County office hours:
Administration office – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Agricultural Commissioner – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch
Ag/UC extension – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch
Assessor’s office – Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch and all day Friday
Auditor-controller – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Behavioral Health – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., various group meetings in the evening until 8 p.m. Crisis response available 24/7
Child Support Services – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch
County Counsel – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch
District Attorney – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Elections/clerk/recorder – Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Health and Human Services Agency – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Integrated Waste Management – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Information Technology – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Jail and sheriff’s administration – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All other sheriff’s divisions – 24/7
Juvenile Hall – 24/7
Library – Monday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.
Office of Emergency Services/Communications – no regular hours – see sheriff’s administration
Planning and building – Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch and all day Friday
Probation – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Public works – Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch and all day Friday
Tax collector/treasurer – Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch and all day Friday
Veterans Services – Monday and Wednesday, 8 a.m. to noon, Tuesday and Thursday, 1 to 5 p.m.
Victim Witness – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
