Administration lists dozens of vacant allocations to be unfunded; supervisors and department heads warn of consequences

Administration presented a long list of allocations to be unfunded across nearly every general-fund budget unit as part of the board's effort to meet reduction targets. The changes targeted mainly vacant positions and included roles in administration, auditor-controller, assessor, public works, IT, public defender, sheriff's patrol and jail facilities, code enforcement, planning and parks. Staff told the board that many of the adjustments were "unfundings" of vacant allocations rather than immediate layoffs.

Assessor Ford told supervisors that his office is the county’s largest revenue bucket and warned that unfunding both chief positions would leave the department under-resourced. Ford pointed to a recently enacted fee-change bill (discussed in the hearing) that he said "pays for" the positions when implemented: "He just signed it effective January. That pays for all these positions that you guys just unfunded." Ford urged the board to consider timing and recruitment realities when deciding which positions to restore.

The board amended the proposal to restore four positions (including two correctional deputy positions and two probation positions) and directed staff to return with a fuller position-allocation review on Nov. 17. Supervisors asked staff to identify positions that are funded by grants (to avoid canceling grant-protected positions) and to confirm vacancies that are already in the hiring process so hiring is not disrupted.