UPDATE
Sept. 22, 2011

Greetings! I wanted to give you an update on two items: the 2012 Budget and the Labor Management Committee meeting that was held September 19.

The 2012 Budget that will be transmitted by the King County Executive on Monday, September 26th, will not have any layoffs proposed for our bargaining unit. This is great news, particularly for the Roads members who will see up to a total of 30 positions cut in other bargaining units. This is the Executive Proposed Budget, so we will have to wait and see what the County Council ends up passing in November.

There was a Labor Management Committee meeting held this past Monday, September 19. At the meeting Interim Road Services Director Paulette Norman gave representatives and shop stewards from Local 17 and other unions an update on the Road Services Division portion of the Executive Proposed 2012 Budget and proposed reorganization of the Division. At the meeting Ms. Norman identified the 30 positions being terminated or having employees laid off, her position and the managers of the Traffic Section and Engineering Services Section included in that total. Most of the layoff positions were in the Maintenance Section. Layoff notices will go out this week.

Ms. Norman also presented a reorganization plan for Roads. This plan combines the Traffic Engineering and Engineering Services Sections into a Traffic and Engineering Services Section, combines Traffic Maintenance with the Maintenance and Operation Section, combines Engineering Services Environmental Unit with the environmental group in Renton, and combines the County Road Engineer and Traffic Engineer duties into one position. A new Deputy Director position will be created. Ms. Norman explained this reorg was "to represent a significant transformation that will better position the organization to continue adapting to the changing nature of business with a focus on implementation of the road tiered service level system and responsible financial stewardship." The reorganization will create efficiencies as Roads moves toward implementing the Road Services Strategic Plan and focusing on the Rural Area. Annexations, reduced property values and less gas tax revenues contribute to the reduced budget and staffing levels.

Members had an opportunity to ask questions of management. These questions ranged from why a Deputy Director (improved coordination and oversight), how the tiered service level system will affect jobs (efficiencies with reduced budget and priorities), why not more management cuts (lost one but added one for net 0), to the President's Jobs Bill (possible $200+ million to the State but no time line). One interesting discussion covered the Roads tiered service level system and how King County (several of our members had major roles) has set up a tiered system to prioritize road functions and maintenance for the most efficient use of available revenue. This system, Ms. Norman said, was being used by the State's Connecting Washington Committee (Fred Jarrett is on this) as a model for the rest of Washington.

You should also know Local 17 is working with the Executive Staff to develop funding alternatives through proposed legislation or other means. Roads is top priority in this joint effort.

I hope you will find this information helpful. If you have questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me or Whitney. Thanks.