Direction given to bring back salary items in next meeting; possible aquatic center funding brought up
The Buellton City Council began discussion of budget consideration for the Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Biennial Budget with some salary concerns being moved ahead to the next meeting.
The council was down to three in this meeting with Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis absent.
Ultimately, some items on the Employee Salary and Benefit Assumptions were moved to the next meeting.
The items of Cost of Living Increase, Medical Increase ($600 per month), Housing allowance ($750 per month), Pay Adjustment to Department Heads (10%), and Accounting Technician change from Full-Time to Part-Time were direct to be brought back as resolutions, while Pay Adjustment to Lead Field Worker and CPO (5%) and New Position: Administrative Analyst were directed to be put on the Consent Calendar for the next meeting.
In other business:
During Council Member Contents and Items, Councilmember Hudson Hornick asked about the possibility of Buellton contributing money toward the proposed new Aquatic Center at Santa Ynez High School.
Hornick said he heard that the City of Solvang was behind on funds, and that maybe Buellton could help out since city residents will be getting use out of that.
City Manager Scott Wolfe replied that the plan was for Buellton to contribute once the center was completed, by way of managing the operations. Also Wolfe pointed out that the two cities have been negotiating along with the Aquatics Center organization, and the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District.
Wolfe also said he had been planning to open up an agenda item for discussion after the current budget had been finalized, but said he could get something on there after July 1.
Hornick also suggested the idea of increasing hours at the library and finding a way to expand the book selection. He also expressed concern that the library still didn’t have a panic button to keep the facility safer.
Wolfe replied that an increase in hours has been discussed, but also disclosed that the city has been keep money in reserve for the library in the event that they decide to break away from the Goleta Valley Library System and they need to operate in the interim before finiding a new partner.
Wolfe did say he would get the process in motion to install a panic button for the library.
The council also heard from Finance Director Shannel Zamora on a Public Hearing on Vacancies, Recruitment, and Retention Efforts.
Government Code Section 3502.3 requires public agencies to annually present the status of job vacancies and efforts related to recruitment and retention before the governing board in a public hearing. This hearing must occur at least once per fiscal year and, if a budget is being adopted, before final budget adoption. Additionally, if a recognized employee organization requests it and the vacancy rate in a bargaining unit equals or exceeds 20% of authorized full-time positions, specific data must be disclosed during the hearing.
Zamora reported that the city had 20 full-time positions and one vacancy for a 5% vacancy rate.
Recruitment and retention efforts include advertising job openings on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and the city website to reach a wider and more diverse pool of candidates; remote work flexibility (where applicable); authorization of a 3.94% cost-of-living adjustment for FY 2024-25; authorization of a 5.0% cost-of-living adjustment for the upcoming FY 2025-26; and Providing employees with incentive pay and offering opportunities for professional certifications, licenses, bilingual skills, continuing education programs, and specialized training.
Factors identified as potential obstacles included budgeted compensation below market median for key classifications; related challenges due to city’s size, geographical location, and limited candidate pool; and high housing costs, challenges for relocation and settling for current staff and potential candidates.
Council received and filed the report and Silva thanked Zamora for the info.
The next Buellton City Council meeting will be Thursday, July 10, at 6 p.m.
