By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Even as the City of Hutchinson wrestles with cutting the budget, they are having just as much trouble finding good people as any of the private businesses in the area are.
Two examples given to the Council at their budget work session Tuesday night were in Public Works and the Police Department. For example, there is money budgeted for the Public Works Department to have four more people than are currently employed, but they can't find qualified applicants.
"We had empty positions this year, but next year, we're funding to be full staff," said Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper. "Do I think that we'll be full staff next year the whole year? No. That's not going to happen, so that projected funding that we're looking for to be full staff, we'll have some savings there. That's where they are talking about that $4.17 million ending balance might actually be higher."
The Council seemed to agree around making a goal of a $4.5 million ending balance on paper, in hopes of ending up around $4.8 to $5 million actually at the end of the year. One of the ways they are planning to do that is to decrease the planned raises for city employees from 3% to 2.5%.
"You've got to remember, you're still paying part of the health insurance, you're paying their KPERS contribution, you're paying workman's comp," said council member Nancy Soldner. "I mean, there's so many things that you pay, in addition to just straight salary, that are benefits to the employee."
The one other issue that got a lot of discussion is starting a pilot program for sidewalk improvements with $20,000. The specifics of the program would likely put that money in some of the city's featured neighborhoods.