Westminster : City Council to Discuss Coming Crash Crunch

An impending cash crunch will be the topic when the City Council meets tonight to discuss the upcoming budget and a study of the city’s worsening financial situation.

Consultant Robert Huntley was hired in January to compile the study, which included a “fiscal impact study,” an employee attitude survey and recommendations for reclassifying some positions. The study indicated a wide range of options for cash-poor Westminster, including letting the county take over police and fire services, contracting out for other departments, layoffs or a gross receipts business license tax or utility user tax.

Huntley said the council needs to find some way to generate income, which has been less than operating expenses since 1981. “The basic problem has been clearly identified,” he wrote. “It is not low morale. It is not ineffective performance on the part of city employees. It is not lack of leadership by management. It is not organizational. It is simply lack of adequate financial resources.”

City Administrator Chris Christiansen said he expects the council to take a final vote on the budget by the end of the month and added that the expected loss of federal revenue-sharing funds next year will have a major impact. “I can’t paint a beautiful picture for you. We’ll get through 1986-87. But 1987-88 will be rough,” he said.

The meeting will be held in the City Council chambers at 8200 Westminster Blvd. starting at 7 p.m.