By Jennifer Upshaw Swartz
Marin Independent Journal
Residents, advocates, employees, and officers pleaded with the San Rafael City Council on Wednesday to spare the police department, a $20 million operation that is facing four layoffs as part of a larger initiative to halt the city’s spiraling deficit.
The council gathered for a study session on further remedies to close a looming $3.5 million shortfall, just two days after slashing $1.9 million from this year’s rolls and $2.7 million next year. Monday’s move to suspend or eliminate 12.75 vacant positions, and reduce temporary seasonal help, supply accounts and contract services from police, fire, parks, streets, public works and community service, brought the general fund operating budget down to $56.2 million.
The council must still contend with an $838,000 gap this year and a $455,000 shortfall in 2010-11. Next year’s deficit is expected to reach $4.4 million for the city, whose financial problems are tied to the poor economy’s effect on local sales tax revenue.
No decisions were made during the three-hour afternoon session in the council chambers at City Hall. Two public meetings to continue the conversation are planned for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Terra Linda Community Center and Jan. 14 at the San Rafael Community Center. The next round of cuts is expected Jan. 19.
Wednesday’s summit focused on a total of 9.8 positions, all occupied except for a street-sweeping job in public works, which are proposed for elimination unless labor unions agree to concessions, officials said. The cuts, if approved, would save $840,000 this year and $1.3 million in 2010-11.
“We are very clearly going to be doing less,” City Manager Ken Nordhoff said. “This will certainly illustrate that.”
The library, which was eyed at one point for a reduction to its staff and its hours, got a reprieve after its director, David Dodd, suggested using reserves to maintain the status quo for the rest of the year. The idea of floating a $49 per year parcel tax to appear on the June ballot, similar to one proposed in San Anselmo and at the county, to shore up the program longer term, is under consideration.
In the police department, eliminated or frozen would be the ranger marine officer, a sworn position, and the nonsworn positions of personnel manager, dispatcher and records clerk.
“Our police department, nobody holds a candle to us, we are the largest and best police agency in Marin and I firmly, firmly believe that,” police Chief Matt Odetto said. “If these potential reductions do take place, we’re not going to be having those great reviews because something’s going to have to give - something is going to happen with our customer service.
“I want us to really, really think about this and the impact it will have on our community,” he said. “We’re out there 24/7 and we need our folks.”
Supporters, staff and union leadership pleaded with the council to save the employees.
“All these departments, they do great work,” said Mike Mathis, San Rafael Police Association president. “We believe that protecting public safety is the first thing residents and businesses expect.”
“The Mission City patrol boat - you can’t get rid of that,” said David Hook, a Loch Lomond Marina worker and resident. “I’ve probably called him about 200 times myself for welfare checks. I can’t tell you how many lives he’s probably saved.”
Several records clerks spoke, asking that their colleague, a bilingual worker they called an asset to the department, be spared.
“We work very hard and we work great together as a team,” said Julie Griffith, an 11-year veteran of the department. “I know you have a big decision to make.”
“Our police department provides a feeling of safety and our citizens need that feeling of safety,” said Jack Wilkinson, a real estate broker from San Rafael. “What good is a library if you get mugged on the way to the library?”
Carolyn Lennert, a community leader and city fire commissioner, agreed.
“The priority needs to be public safety,” she said.
“People don’t want to live in a place where they don’t feel safe,” said San Rafael police Officer Elisha Adams, a resident of Vallejo.
“We’re not positions. We’re not bodies. We’re not benefits. We’re thinkers. You don’t want to turn this into an East Bay city.”
“I guess I’m begging you,” said the Rev. Jan Heglund, police chaplain.
“Do what you can to keep this police family together.”
Copyright 2010 Marin Independent Journal