The City Council has axed funding for special events including the popular St. Patrick’s Day Parade and downtown New Year’s Eve celebration, with the unanimous approval of a lean budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Council members hope private sector promoters will find ways to keep the special events afloat. The council previously eliminated funding for the popular summer sunset concert series, and Alan Sanford of St. Rocke stepped in to produce this summer’s concerts.
“We have totally worked this over,” said Mayor Michael DiVirgilio, looking down at a cost-cutting budget report he held in his hands.
The council also axed municipal holiday decorations, including the $6,200 tree lighting portion of an annual Christmas season celebration on the Pier Plaza.
The $24.5 million operating budget also made cuts to overtime pay for firefighters by $350,000, to reduce staffing from six firefighters per shift to five.
Firefighters had previously convinced council members to rethink the cut, pointing out that a study by a city consultant found that even the six-person staffing did not provide Hermosa with adequate protection.
Fire Chief David Lantzer told the council the reduction would not appreciably reduce fire services, and he said neighboring fire departments use the five-person staffing level.
The budget raises $300,000 by converting the downtown parking structure and a nearby parking lot from attendant parking to pay-by-space, and continues a freeze of 14 vacant city employee positions, including five in the Police Department.
However, one or two police officers might be hired in the fall. Officials are seeking grant funding, and waiting to see how many employees will take early retirement offers, which will save some city payroll costs.
Officials will continue to study a plan to raise $33,000 by creating 40 new parking spaces by eliminating U-turns at a number of Hermosa Avenue intersections. ER
