News

POSTED: Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009

Read Mayor Pike's e-mail to city employees

Editor's note: Here is the text of an e-mail sent by Mayor Dan Pike to Bellingham city employees on Tuesday, March 31:

More budget & employee reductions coming - March 31

Last week, the City Council gave preliminary approval to the most recent round of city budget reductions. Those budget items "frozen" from spending a few weeks go now will be eliminated from the 2009 budget. While these were difficult decisions to make, unfortunately our hard work is not all behind us.

Our most recent estimates indicate that on top of the reductions made late last year and so far in 2009, we likely will be faced with at least a $5 million short-fall in the 2010 budget, and similar gaps in three or more of the years thereafter, if we do not change course. Solving these problems will mean extensive budget cuts, including eliminating as many as 50 to 75 FTEs (depending on compensation levels and any increases in employee benefits).

I do not throw these numbers out lightly or to cause undue concern, but rather to make sure you are informed as to the size of the problem. Our government simply must become smaller to remain affordable. We need your attention, creativity and innovation now more than ever.

Learn all you can about city finances and the impacts of their decline.

Email communications and information posted on the city's website all are good places to start. Take advantage of opportunities to hear more by attending budget presentations hosted by myself, David Webster and Finance Director John Carter. We also will be coming around to department meetings city wide in the coming weeks. We will continue to use these methods to make sure employees have up-to-date information about city finances and budget reductions.

Please also make sure you are communicating regularly with your bargaining unit representatives. They are now actively negotiating on your behalf; you need to know the positions they are advocating, and they need to hear from you.

As always, I thank you for your good work and commitment to city services.

Mayor Dan Pike