County Administrator Imposes Hiring Freeze

Saying swift action is needed to trim a projected $5-million deficit, chief administrator Harry Hufford has mandated a hiring freeze on much of county government’s 7,500-employee work force.

The action, coming during Hufford’s second week on the job, means that department managers cannot fill vacant positions unless Hufford approves them on a case-by-case basis. A majority of county supervisors said Friday they stand solidly behind the interim administrator’s get-tough approach to balancing the budget.

“We gave Harry the power and responsibility to correct the imbalance we have in our budget,” Supervisor Frank Schillo said. “Not only this year but next year. That’s his duty, and he has made it clear that he wants to start there.”

Supervisor John K. Flynn said the decision is unpopular with managers but is necessary.

“It’s a good, wise move right now,” Flynn said. “It’s more than acting tough. It’s being tough.”

Hufford said he decided to call for a freeze after reviewing budget documents and determining that decisive action is needed to get the budget back on track. The goal is to increase savings in the budget to erase the deficit projected to appear by summer unless changes are made.

The freeze includes about 600 vacant permanent positions and jobs routinely filled by temporary workers. Hiring freezes were routine during his years as county administrator in Los Angeles, said Hufford, 68, who was lured out of retirement to fill a seven-month contract as Ventura County government’s top executive.

“This is a fairly common practice and is less draconian than a layoff policy,” he said. “We intend to be reasonable, but we intend to be firm.”

But Hufford’s decision to exempt certain safety and health positions from the freeze is raising the ire of managers of other departments. Hufford said police, criminal justice and a few nursing positions will be exempted because they have their own source of funding or include jobs that are critical to county operations.

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That does not sit well with Earl McPhail, the county’s agriculture commissioner. McPhail’s department, with 41 employees and a $2.1-million budget, will be unable to fill four vacant positions--a clerk, a biologist and two fruit-fly trappers--as a result of Hufford’s mandate.

By contrast, the Sheriff’s Department, with a $136-million budget and 1,300 positions, will be asked only to make voluntary reductions.

“We’re a small department and any reduction in staff hurts,” McPhail said. “I understand that Mr. Hufford has his marching orders. But my feeling is that all departments should have to participate. If nothing else, it helps morale.”

Hufford makes no apology for the exemptions. Ventura County residents and a majority of supervisors have made public safety a priority by earmarking $40 million generated annually by Proposition 172’s special half-cent sales tax for the sheriff, district attorney, probation and public defender.

“They are clearly given a special priority, through the 172 funding and local ordinance, that I am unable to address at this time,” he said.

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury and Sheriff Bob Brooks have agreed to return other savings to the county budget, Hufford said.

County supervisors hired Hufford last month to fill in as interim county administrator after former executive David L. Baker resigned after four days. In a blistering resignation letter, Baker told supervisors the county faces significant fiscal and structural problems that he could not change because the chief administrator’s position is too weak.

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Baker recommended that supervisors centralize budgetary authority in the CAO’s office, and end side deals with department managers, to keep a tighter rein over finances. Each of the five board members has publicly favored giving the CAO more power.

The hiring freeze is their first test of that commitment, and at least three supervisors--Schillo, Flynn and Long--said they do not intend to back down.

“My door will not be open to managers coming in and looking for an exception,” Long said. “I think we need to hold the line. Harry is doing the job we asked him to do.”

Hufford informed senior managers of the freeze in a Wednesday meeting. He called the halt temporary but said it will likely continue through July when the county begins a new fiscal year. Hufford said he will then have a much firmer picture of the county’s financial health.

He may recommend other ways to cut costs and increase revenues when the supervisors hold a special budget session in mid-February. It may be possible to increase collections or otherwise beef up the dollars flowing into the county’s treasury, Hufford said.

“This is a slow-down-spending-and-increase-savings strategy,” Hufford said. “But other strategies will also be considered.”

’ This is a fairly common practice and is less draconian than a layoff policy. We intend to be reasonable, but we intend to be firm.’