here - City of Reedley

not cleared to use bond proceeds that were issued for specific purposes. The City is
hoping that a proposed Assembly Bill (AB 981) will be passed this year. That bill will
allow the proceeds to be used. For now, the City continues to make its required debt
service payments on the bonds.
Personnel Costs
As of the date of this budget’s release, Tentative Two-Year Agreements have been
reached with both labor units. The past two Memorandum of Understandings with both
the General Services Unit (GSU) and the Reedley Police Officers’ Association (RPOA)
have included wage and benefit concessions. Employees at every level of the
organization came together as a team and “gave back”, taking home less pay and
earning less benefits than in prior years. For Agreements covering the coming two fiscal
years, employees will not be asked to give back any pay or benefits. The General
Services Unit, comprised mostly of Enterprise-funded employees, will have a 1% COLA
in FY14 and a 2% COLA in FY15, and RPOA will have the 4% wage suspension lifted in
FY14 with a 2% COLA in FY15. Unrepresented groups will have the $20/$40/$50
medical contribution lifted and no furloughs in FY15.
The City’s Healthcare Committee, comprised of members of GSU, RPOA,
Unrepresented, and Management staff, have been working throughout the year to find
ways to control medical insurance costs. The Committee has researched leaving the
PERS medical insurance program and migrating to the San Joaquin Valley Insurance
Authority, a JPA of local cities and counties in the Valley. The benefits provided to staff
will remain equivalent, with the City of Reedley picking up 100% of the cost for premium
based upon an average of the two lowest cost plans available.
Summary
The City has made dramatic strides in improving its fiscal position over the past two
years. Back in June of 2011, the leadership was considering borrowing money from
Measure G, using almost $250,000 from reserves to pay for on-going costs, and laying
off staff to make ends meet. That dire condition is far behind, and with consistent,
prudent application of conservative fiscal management and “living within our means”, the
City of Reedley is primed to begin its next century of incorporation stronger and more
vibrant than before.
The City’s management staff wishes to thank the City Council for its leadership and
support when the hard and sometimes unpopular decisions had to be made.
Management staff also wants to provide a hearty thanks to the dedicated and
hardworking staff of the City who have been so integral in setting the City on a firm fiscal
foundation.
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CITY OF REEDLEY
ADOPTED BUDGET 2013-2014