HUNTINGTON BEACH : City Plans to Whittle 54 Jobs From Budget

City officials are proposing to eliminate 25 full-time jobs and 29 part-time positions to balance next year’s general fund budget and help make $3 million in cutbacks.

City Administrator Michael T. Uberuaga said most of the positions are vacant due to attrition and a two-year hiring freeze. Some of the jobs are occupied by people who plan to retire soon, and those jobs will be eliminated once they do. One employee, a public works counter clerk, faces layoff.

Uberuaga this week presented an update on the proposed 1994-95 budget to the City Council, which will discuss the cutbacks Tuesday.

Mayor Linda Moulton Patterson said she is pleased no fee increases that would affect residents were proposed to balance the budget.

“I could not support any fee increases,” she said, adding that, “Overall, it’s a good proposal.”

Uberuaga said the budget will be balanced primarily by reducing expenses and staffing. But that will affect the quality and quantity of services to the public, he said.

Of the staffing reductions, departments affected include police, fire, public works, community services, the attorney’s office, community development, administration and the library.

Uberuaga said four jobs in the Police Department are expected to be cut. Those include the positions of a captain, lieutenant, records manager and secretary, all of which are currently held by people who plan to retire this year.

In the Fire Department, three vacant firefighter positions and a vacant storekeeper’s position to maintain supplies for fire stations are slated to be eliminated. But in April, 1995, three firefighters who will be trained as paramedics will be added to the department as part of a reorganization plan to increase paramedic services.

Twelve part-time, temporary employees are expected to be laid off to save money in the Community Services Department. A total of seven employee positions are expected to be reduced from Public Works Department staffing.

Uberuaga also proposes to increase parking fines to raise $128,000 and impose a new library fee of $20 a year for non-residents who use the library to generate another $200,000.

The council is expected to adopt the $94.2-million budget for the next fiscal year by Sept. 30.