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According to an e-mail from a union representing Imperial County clerical workers, county officials are now considering layoffs of temporary employees and wage reductions as a means to deal with dwindling revenues and a state budget crisis that may tap county coffers.

According to the e-mail, county supervisors also want an across the board five percent reduction in pay, “from the CEO to the lowest paid person.” The details of  the  proposed  cuts came to light in an e-mail from labor union representatives to a number of individuals. According to the e-mail, a number of Imperial county employees may be asked to accept a 5 percent cut in pay and a delay in the implementation of a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

According to the e-mail, representatives from the county and the Teamsters Local 542 met Tuesday, June 9 to discuss ways to deal with the budget shortfall.

The original e-mail is dated July 10, 2009 at 2:05 p.m., and is addressed to 53 different individuals. The subject line of the e-mail is "Budget Proposal" , and it is designated as being of high importance

The e-mail not only outlines some of the possible financial circumstances the county faces in the coming months, it also includes a list of cost cutting measures the union says county supervisors allegedly have approved.

Union officials declined to comment on the contents of the e-mail. The County of Imperial is one of the largest employers in the county.

According to the e-mail, county officials told union representatives that the estimated budget shortfall for fiscal  year 2008-2009, which ends June 30, will be between $900,000 and $1,200,000. The e-mail states that last year, there was a $10,000,000 carry over from the previous year. According to the e-mail, county officials said there will be very little carry over this year.

Imperial County Supervisor Michael Kelley said he could not comment on any specific proposals, or any items mentioned in the e-mail, but he acknowledged that some painful decisions about the county budget will have to be made, and he added that he hoped it would be a collaborative process.

“The County Board as a whole wants to have some participation with all the employees because we will be in this turmoil together, and it is up to all of us to work together to pull out of it successfully,” Kelley said.

Kelley said the exact amount of the budget deficit  is not finalized. He said the county is still waiting for a final accounting from the state to determine the final amount of the county budget deficit.

According to the e-mail,  county supervisors also want to freeze a 2.5 percent Cost Of Living Adjustment that was due to kick in on July 1 of this year.

“We really don't know the outcome until we get the figures from the state, but we're cognizant of what we have to do, and we want to be very balanced in our approach to meeting this fiscal crisis,” Kelly said

According to the e-mail,  the “BOS” (Board of Supervisors) gave direction to pursue several cost-cutting measures, including :

- The elimination of all “extra help” positions by August 1. Extra help are temporary, part-time positions in various county departments. The e-mail indicates essential positions such as public safety positions would not be affected.

- Supplies to be cut to “bare essentials”

- No employee will be allowed to work out of class. Some employees who work for the county are classified by pay rate.   Depending on the needs of a particular department, some county employees are sometimes asked to work “out of class”, and earn a higher pay rate than they would otherwise be eligible to  receive.

- County credit cards to be used for travel only.

- A five percent reduction in all county departments.

According to the e-mail, county supervisors also want an across the board five percent reduction in pay, “from the CEO to the lowest paid person.”  The e-mail states the reduction would remain in effect "until the county and the union mutually agree to reinstate the wages."

It's not clear from the e-mail whether the five per cent departmental reduction proposal is in addition to the five percent reduction in pay proposal.

According to the e-mail,  county supervisors also want to freeze a 2.5 percent Cost Of Living Adjustment that was due to kick in on July 1 of this year.

Kelley said the supervisors are trying to cut the budget without imposing layoffs.

“The Board as a whole wants to do everything we possibly can not have to send any of these permanent people home on layoff,” said Kelley.