BUENA PARK : 120-Day Freeze May Save City $900,000

Buena Park could save up to $900,000 as a result of a 120-day hiring and spending freeze the City Council approved this week.

The freeze will allow city administration time to find ways to cope with almost $2 million in revenue loss as a result of state budget cutbacks.

At a Sept. 28 study session, the council told the city manager to start the freezes Oct. 1.

“We implemented the hiring and spending freeze to stop the flow of money out of the city except for absolute necessary expenditures until we can have a chance to grapple through this problem,” Councilman Donald L. Bone said.

City Manager Kevin O’Rourke said the freeze is not expected to be a cure-all. “It’s not seen as a complete answer, but (part) of an ultimate plan the council will adopt in January,” O’Rourke said.

Greg Beaubien, director of finance, said the hiring freeze will affect eight full-time positions and one part-time position for a savings in salaries and benefits of $56,487.

During the hiring freeze, it is also expected that 11 full-time positions and six part-time positions could become vacant, some due to retirement. The city could save up to $96,787, Beaubien said.

Beaubien said curbing department spending could result in $745,000 in savings.

“It’s not going to be the exact dollars saved, but it’s a potential of what can be saved,” he said.

The spending freeze will include cutting such costs as overtime pay, consulting services, office maintenance, office supplies, book dues and subscriptions and meeting and travel.

O’Rourke said the spending freeze won’t affect police and fire services.

As other possibilities in handling the budget cutbacks, O’Rourke said, the city will examine contracting services such as park and landscape maintenance, as well as consolidating services with other cities.