Website Set Up To Check Riverside County Office Closures

RIVERSIDE – As part of its belt-tightening strategy, Riverside County will be shutting down some offices every Friday, beginning this week.

In addition to closing the County Administrative Center in Riverside and other government facilities countywide on Fridays, the county will be furloughing some employees to pare down labor and utility costs as it adjusts to budget constraints.

Public safety departments, medical services and other 24-hour operations will not be included in the Friday closures.

“The goal is to maintain the essential services that residents depend on and deserve while maintaining fiscal solvency,” said county Executive Officer Bill Luna. “These are difficult financial times, but public service remains our priority.”

A complete list of schedules for each county department will be published on the county Web site before the end of the week.

Offices such as Code Enforcement and the Clerk of the Board will extend hours Monday to Thursday to make up for the weekly closures, according to county officials.

The county’s revenue shortfall topped $130 million in the current fiscal year, with property tax receipts, sales taxes and investment earnings shrinking along with the local and national economies.

The state’s decision to withhold funds for transportation projects and various state-mandated programs has exacerbated the county’s fiscal condition.

By tapping reserves, offering early retirement packages to qualifying personnel and rolling back the wages and benefits of some employees, the county is on track to meet savings targets, officials said.

The Friday closures will effectively mean a 10 percent pay cut for some employees, said county spokeswoman Lys Mendez.

The Board of Supervisors required that each county department shave 10 percent from its budget to reduce costs in the 2009-10 fiscal year. According to Mendez, department heads have discretion in determining how best to hold down expenses.

A few offices may convert to 4-10 schedules, with employees working 10-hour days, four days a week.

“It really is kind of a department-by-department situation,” Mendez said.

One of the county’s largest collective bargaining units, Service Employees International Union Local 721, has opposed ongoing mandatory furloughs, arguing the wage cuts will be well in excess of the 10 percent the county executive officer said was needed to save money.

SEIU officials say many union members will be at greater risk of financial devastation because of the cuts.

In a separate action, the California Judicial Council announced recently that state courthouses will be shuttered the third Wednesday of every month, beginning Sept. 16.

Civil, criminal and appellate courts will not be available to the public or attorneys. The judicial branch is facing a $414 million revenue shortfall because of state budget woes. The court closures are expected to save around $90 million.