Q&A
Budget cuts and staffing challenges in the City Clerk's office
0:09:41
·
91 sec
Michael McSweeney discusses the significant budget and staffing challenges faced by the City Clerk's office due to recent cuts. He explains how these reductions have affected the agency's operations and ability to provide services.
- Budget shortfall of over $400,000 for fiscal year 2025
- Headcount reduction from 60 to 55, with current staffing still over the reduced limit due to employees returning from leave
- Emphasis on the office's longstanding approach of doing more with less, despite increasing difficulties
Michael McSweeney
0:09:41
Sure.
0:09:42
And thank you again for this opportunity.
0:09:45
So, checkers and powers, I would say that right now, our biggest challenge like most city agencies or all city agencies are the pegs that we had in the last year due to the budget issues, which I know you're all familiar with.
0:10:04
We had substantial cuts in last year's budget and cuts in our out years as well.
0:10:10
So our shortfall for fiscal year 25 is over $400,000, and that's like that's the entire budget.
0:10:18
In addition, we were our headcount was reduced from 60 to 55, and we're still over our headcount at the present because we had I think 3 people returned from maternity leave or paternity maternity leave since the the headcount was reduced.
0:10:39
So we can't you know, we still have to bring those people back.
0:10:43
So we're still over the headcount.
0:10:45
So I mean, that's really the the the the biggest issue.
0:10:48
But I I mean, you know, one thing as a small city agency I've known since, you know, I started working there that, you know, we are expected to do more with less.
0:10:59
And we always, you know, make every effort to do that.
0:11:02
And I think we've we've we've always adhered to that as one of our models, if you will.
0:11:09
But it it definitely makes things more difficult.
