Orange County NC Website
Commissioner Jacobs asked how this relates to the matrix. Laura Blackmon said that <br /> the matrix is to show the County Commissioners what they absolutely have to do. Generally, <br /> there is nothing mandatory, and the matrix was a tool to categorize. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said that he would like to better track the reductions as it relates <br /> to staffing, since some staff might have to be retrained, etc. Also, in the yellow sheets, he would <br /> like to see this list in priority order per department. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs asked if the 10% reduction would cover the hole that the County <br /> is in. Donna Coffey said, based on the information from last week, the 10% would come very <br /> close. Based on information since then, it probably will not cover the hole. She said that 10% <br /> would give the County between $2-2.4 million. There will have to be reductions in other areas <br /> to get from the $2.4 million to the $4 million. <br /> Health Director Rosemary Summers said that the Health Department submitted a <br /> balanced budget. The Health Department had revenue reductions and those were taken into <br /> account in the yellow sheets. She said that she did not just take a 10% reduction, but also did a <br /> balanced budget submission. <br /> Commissioner Nelson said that there are some human services departments that should <br /> not be cut 10%. He also said that he had difficulty reading and understanding the yellow <br /> sheets. He would like to see this laid out in a way that a citizen could understand. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier said that it would be helpful when the County Commissioners <br /> get information from other departments to put on the cuts whether a service is mandatory, etc. <br /> She said that the human services departments are safety net mostly and she does not want to <br /> see cuts there. <br /> Commissioner Yuhasz seconded Commissioner Jacobs' request to prioritize cuts by the <br /> department heads. He said that he does not have a list of what is being left in a budget— he is <br /> only seeing what they want to cut and he needs the big picture. <br /> Animal Services (p. 76): <br /> Animal Services Director Bob Marotto said that they are on the brink of opening the new <br /> animal services center sometime in May. He thinks that there will be more animals coming to <br /> the shelter in the next year or two because of the economic recession. <br /> With respect to the 10% reductions, the total reduction is $42,968, and none of the <br /> reductions involve reassignment of permanent staff. <br /> - Service Reductions ($12,750) <br /> o Eliminating the microchipping of adopted pets (while offering it electively) <br /> o Eliminating school educational programs <br /> o Eliminating leash sales and the bathing and grooming of adopted pets <br /> - Savings from Division Integration and Resource Realignment ($14,779) <br /> o Transportation (employee mileage and field service mileage) <br /> o Photocopiers; office supplies; and telephone lines and services <br /> o In-house versus outsourced spay and neuter of adoptable animals <br /> - Line Item Reductions ($15,439) <br />