City budget includes $1.5 million for new employees

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- The city’s preliminary budget includes almost $1.5

million to add employees, a number that is getting a less than

enthusiastic reception from the entire City Council.

The council is scheduled to review the $94.57-million preliminary

budget at its meeting tonight.

It includes proposals to add seven new employee positions and convert

seven part-time positions into full-time positions at a cost of $1.46

million.

City Councilman Gary Monahan said he is concerned about the increase

in employees.

“We’re adding an awful lot of personnel,” he said. “I would much

rather see any excess revenue go to capital improvements. I realize we

need additional staff in some areas, but I’m a little concerned on a

couple of issues at this point.”

Five of the new positions are tied to community objectives, including

two school resource officers and two special enforcement detail officers

to protect people and property, as well as one park naturalist for

Fairview Park.

Monahan took special note of that final position.

“I mean,” he asked, “we’re supposed to hire full-time naturalist? What

is he going to do for 40 hours a week? I don’t see it. I just plain don’t

see it. Is he going to be pulling weeds? What are we doing hiring a

full-time expensive person for one park that frankly doesn’t have a lot

going on?”

Other positions, requested by individual departments within the city,

include converting part-time positions into full-time ones for two

maintenance workers, one personnel assistant, one office specialist and

one messenger.

Two new engineering technicians and a permit-processing specialist for

the sanitation department were also included in the budget for the

2001-2002 fiscal year.

The budget has grown $8.96 million from last year’s, mainly because of

salaries for new employees and street, freeway and park improvement

projects, said Marc Puckett, director of finance for the city.

Revenue is also up $8.37 million because of sales tax increases and

grants for roadwork and freeway construction, he said.

“Sales tax has increased 6.3% because of Harbor Center and Target

Greatlands coming online, as well as because of normal inflationary

increases,” he said. “The transit-way projects for the [Costa Mesa] and

[San Diego] freeways end up skewing the number a little bit, too, because

of the grant revenue.”

Transportation expenses are expected to increase $5.81 million from

last year because of projects that include reconstructing or repaving

several streets and adding new lanes, turn lanes, freeway onramps,

sidewalks and bus shelters to others.

Other City Council members were unavailable for comment by press time.

* FYI:

WHAT: Costa Mesa City Council

WHERE: City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. today

INFORMATION: (714) 754-5223