City manager urges keeping benefit-processing staff on payroll, flags safety concerns

City Manager Bunting asked the council for clear support to keep human services staff processing benefits on the payroll rather than furloughing them during the federal shutdown. "We believe, should continue to support our workers, keep them on the payroll, not furlough them," Bunting said, noting the locality typically pays 20'5% of worker costs up front and then receives federal and state reimbursements later.

Bunting said the locality has developed a financial strategy to support staff operations through the disruption and warned that furloughing workers risks losing trained employees to other employers. He also said he had spoken with local law-enforcement leaders about extra precautions because some sister localities have reported safety incidents in lobbies where clients congregate during benefit disruptions.