By Political Reporter Marshall Zelinger
m.zelinger@krdo.com
Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mzelinger

COLORADO SPRINGS – Your city offices may not have to close on ten different days next year.  City council is considering a new plan to avoid ten days worth of city furloughs, which would shut down city services on those days.  These are the ideas city council will consider Tuesday before voting on a final budget. (One of these plans will save $1.4 million) 

• 10 furlough days for city employees except sworn police and fire personnel.
• Three (3) furlough days for city employees (except police/fire) & Three (3) fewer vacation days earned by police/fire.
• Three (3) fewer vacation days earned by all city employees (including police/fire)

Click here for live play-by-play tweeting of Tuesday afternoon's budget meeting from Political Reporter Marshall Zelinger.

"I thought it was fair and equitable and that's the way we should go," said city councilman Sean Paige, who was in favor of the plan for three furlough days/three fewer vacation days.

"I brought it up, of course I'm going to support it," said city councilman Tom Gallagher about the plan for three furlough days/three fewer vacation days.

"I didn't like the furlough days, I don't like any of the options that are here," said city councilman Scott Hente.

"I would think that would be more fair to all employees if we could reduce by seven, the number of unpaid days that just a certain group of employees have to take," said city councilman Bernie Herpin who was in favor of three fewer vacation days for all employees.

"I support this proposal for that same reason, it spreads it as far as possible," said city councilman Randy Purvis, who was in favor of three furlough days/three fewer vacation days.

"I prefer vacation," said Vice Mayor Larry Small, in favor of the plan for three fewer vacation days for all employees.

Council held its budget mark up meeting two weeks ago, when budget cuts and additions are debated.  Now with these other options instead of 10 days of furloughs, council will continue to debate the budget on the same day it plans to approve the final version.

"It should have been done two weeks ago.  Council member Gallagher had put that in his mark up discussions, but it never got discussed," said Herpin.

"I guess we'll have to vote on this tomorrow when we vote on this part of the budget," said Mayor Lionel Rivera who supported the plan for three furlough days/three less vacation days.

"Let people sleep on it.  Tomorrow they can come back, I hope that won't be a major snafu tomorrow," said Paige.

"I'm just uncomfortable with deviating from what we've already decided at this point in time," said city councilman Darryl Glenn, who was still in favor of 10 furlough days for city employees, except police/fire.

Councilwoman Jan Martin was in favor of the plan for three fewer vacation days for all employees.  Five votes are needed to approve an issue.

• 1 VOTE: 10 furlough days for city employees except sworn police and fire personnel.
• 4 VOTES: Three (3) furlough days for city employees (except police/fire) & Three (3) fewer vacation days earned by police/fire.
• 3 VOTES: Three (3) fewer vacation days earned by all city employees (including police/fire).
  *Hente did not approve of any of the ideas. 

If the city chooses an option besides 10 furlough days, city offices may not have to close on days the offices would normally be open.  If the plan for three furlough days (city employees) and three fewer vacation days (police/fire) is chosen, city offices may still be able to stay open when the city employees take their days off.

"It inconveniences citizens who want to do business with the city.  By reducing the vacation across the board, it lets the employee decide which day not to take off for vacation," said Herpin.

Council will make its final decision Tuesday afternoon.

Council may also have more money to spend before it finalizes the budget.  According to the city's chief financial officer, the city may have $875,000 to spend.  CFO Terri Velasquez recommended transferring $555,000 from the Affordable Housing Loan Program.  The city can compete for matching federal funds, but its doubtful the matching funds would be received.  Velasquez recommended using the money elsewhere in the budget, if the city most likely won't get matching funds.  Another $320,000 would come from the expected sale of fleet vehicles currently owned by the city.  The vehicles are from the Parks Department and will no longer be needed because of cuts to the Parks Department.

"If we can suddenly find money for vehicles in the Parks Department, what other departments within the city might we find some money?" asked Paige.

Paige did admit the potential money was not available two weeks ago before the budget cuts to the Parks Department.

"To be fair, these vehicles came available after the budget cuts that we recently made, it's important to make that point," said Paige.  "If you cut park personnel, you're going to have extra equipment, so it makes sense."

The $875,000 may replace the $875,000 that was expected from the parking enterprise.  Depending on advice from the city attorney, city council may be able to still use that parking enterprise money, meaning it would have an extra $875,000.

Glenn suggested saving the money, in case it really can't be used.  If it's discovered that spending it is okay, council could use it later in 2010.

"We could look at possibly restoring some programs or help mitigating some of the furloughs," said Glenn.

Council may also spend part of Tuesday trying to save some of the streetlights it already planned on shutting off.  Two weeks ago, council agreed to save $1,245,000 by shutting off half of the city's streetlights.  Council may use some of the $875,000 it may have at its disposal to keep some of those streetlights on.

Herpin did get one budget change passed on Monday.  Since only $1,200,000 of the $1,245,000 savings from streetlights had been budgeted, he suggested taking the remaining $45,000 to fund Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful.  That received five votes and will be added to the final budget, to be voted on Tuesday.