PORT HUENEME : City Manager Paints Dark Budget Picture

Port Hueneme’s city manager told the council Wednesday that the city could save $371,000 by eliminating nearly a dozen city jobs and services, but even with the cuts, the city would face a budget shortfall of almost $85,000.

All departments that tap into the general fund were considered in City Manager Dick Velthoen’s budget-cutting proposal that was presented to the City Council for consideration this week.

No action was taken on the budget proposal at Wednesday’s meeting, but the council will hold a public study session Feb. 17 during which council members will attempt to finalize the proposed cuts.

Cuts will have to be made, Velthoen said, even though “the cancerous forces are out there in terms of gangs, social deterioration and physical deterioration of public and private property.”

If the council follows his recommendations, the most immediately noticeable loss will be the closure of the Dorill B. Wright Cultural Center, Velthoen said. Residents may also see a reduction in the landscaping of medians, city parks and other public buildings.

“We don’t know all the ramifications,” Velthoen said.

Other recommendations by Velthoen were:

Elimination of the city’s construction specialist in the department of community development, saving the city $60,000.

Elimination of a mechanic and two building maintenance operators in the Public Works Department, a general fund savings of $93,000.

A freeze on filling three vacant groundskeeper positions in the area of landscape maintenance. The city, he said, could hire contractors to tend the foliage on its medians, at its parks and at other city buildings. Velthoen said he had no figures on what such a move would save.

Other positions to be eliminated would be the managers of the Cultural Center and the city’s Athletic Center, a janitor at the community center and a housing rehabilitation specialist. Seventeen part-time lifeguard positions would also be cut.