Oxnard Can Cut 103 City Jobs and Improve Service, Audit Says

A management audit released Tuesday says Oxnard can eliminate 103 city positions, including 30 in the Police Department, seven in the Fire Department and 43 in the Public Works Department, and still improve city services.

The $250,000 audit by Cresap Management Consultants of Washington says the recommended cuts could save the city $3.45 million annually.

But Cresap Vice President Bill Evans told the council Tuesday that the recommendations should be considered only for long-term savings and not to offset the city’s projected $2.8-million deficit in the next fiscal year.

“These recommendations would save dollars in the long run,” Evans said. “This is not a crisis document.”

City officials had hoped that the audit would reveal some cost-saving measures that would help them reduce this year’s deficit. The City Council began budget hearings last week but has delayed final decisions on budget cuts pending the results of the audit.

The council announced that it would postpone further hearings on budget cuts until 9 a.m. Monday.

City Manager David Mora has recommended eliminating the $2.8-million deficit largely by paring 64 positions--including 16 in the Police Department and eight in the Fire Department.

Councilwoman Ann Johs proposed studying how much the city would save by turning police and fire services over to the county. But a majority of the council rejected her idea Tuesday, saying the council needs time to study the Cresap audit before initiating another study.

The council decided to put off any further discussion or decisions regarding the Cresap study until council members and city staff have had time to read the inch-thick report.

The audit was designed to identify any inefficiencies in the city’s management and recommend any reorganization plans or personnel reductions that would save money but not affect service levels.

The Cresap report says the Police Department does not respond quickly enough to calls and should implement several changes, including installing cellular telephones in police cars to allow officers to dictate reports without having to drive to the station.

It recommended permanently eliminating a four-officer drunk-driving task force that has been vacant for several months. The report noted that the fines provided by convicted drunk drivers have been diverted from the city to the county.

The audit says the city can provide current levels of fire protection and still close one fire station in downtown Oxnard and eliminate seven firefighting positions. The audit says emergency calls from residents in the area can be served by other fire stations.

In addition, the Cresap report says the city Public Works Department suffers from “unnecessary layers of supervision” and can function with 43 fewer positions.

The audit says the city needs to study the recreational services it offers through the Parks and Recreation Department and consider reducing the amount of subsidy the city provides for various programs. The audit says the city should review its fees charged for the use of department buildings.

Overall, Cresap’s audit says the city “employs a number of extremely capable administrators” but that “until recently they appear to have focused relatively little attention on improving management.”

The report says city management has neglected day-to-day operations by focusing too much attention on negotiating with developers and on the city’s past financial and management problems.

City officials have defended their handling of the city’s financial affairs, saying the projected deficit is primarily the result of several unexpected revenue losses over the past four years.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Johs’ proposal to study how much money the city could save by contracting with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and the Fire Protection District was supported by Councilwoman Geraldine (Gerry) Furr.

But Mayor Nao Takasugi and council members Manuel Lopez and Dorothy Maron voted down the idea, saying the city needs to study the Cresap audit before launching another study. The council unanimously agreed to consider the matter later, after the 1990-91 budget is approved.

Other cities, including Camarillo, Fillmore and Ojai, have turned police services over to the county. Typically when a city contracts with the county for police or fire services, the county Sheriff’s Department and Fire Protection District hires the former city employees to work in the city.

Last week, County Supervisor John K. Flynn sent a letter to each council member urging study of the savings that could be gained by contracting with the county for fire services. The letter says “preliminary studies have shown considerable savings; however, a more microscopic analysis must be done to validate these savings.”

In January, former County Fire Chief Rand-Scott Coggan sent Flynn a confidential report that says Oxnard could save more than $1 million a year by having the Fire Protection District serve the city.

Coggan’s report says the move would require the closure of one of Oxnard’s six fire stations because of overlapping coverage. Coggan’s report does not say how many firefighter positions would be cut.

His report also says the move would benefit the city by providing access to the County Fire Department’s four helicopters, three bulldozers and Hazardous Incident Response Team. BATTLING THE BUDGET

The Simi Valley City Council seeks a 3.25% cut in department expenses.

The Ventura City Council nearly doubled aid to the poor and disadvantaged.

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