Actions by city officials and a stringent budget are helping to preserve Reno government jobs.

The Reno City Council recently announced that the severe budget scenario adopted and enacted in February is working to keep the city financially stable. However, it is estimated that the budget deficit for fiscal year 2009-2010 will be an additional $20 million.

“It has been tough on our citizens, and tough on our employees and unfortunately there is more to come,” Mayor Robert A. Cashell said in a press release. “The good news is because of the decisions made by this Council and management, we are in a better position than most local governments going into next year’s budget.”

The scenario previously adopted was made of across-the-board employee concessions and other major cost-cutting actions to help deal with continued declines in projected revenue. The scenario resulted in the equivalent of 2.1 percent salary concessions from all city employees and concessions of 3.5 percent from the City Council and other top management through July.

Another means of significant savings came from a reduction in overtime costs by reducing staff on two fire department ladder trucks, meaning staffing is only done during peak call hours.

“This action alone has accounted for approximately $600,000 savings in overtime,” Cashell said. “These types of reductions are not just about savings. Protecting the safety of both the public and firefighters remains the top priority. Neither this change, nor any other we may need to make in the future, would ever compromise that goal.”

The successful operational adjustment in the Fire Department is similar to a proposal to save an extra $3 million next fiscal year without compromising safety. The proposal recommends changing equipment assignments at some fire stations using two-person rescue vehicles instead of larger fire apparatus that must be staffed with four people because of the IAFF labor contract. The smaller crews are a positive alternative to closing a fire station.

“The four person crews are twice as expensive as the two person crews due to the overtime expense,” Cashell said. “When it comes to closing a fire station or cutting overtime, the Council will cut overtime every time.”

Other measures taken in this year’s severe scenario include staff cuts amounting to almost all part-time Parks, Recreation and Community Services staff; freezing more than 140 open full-time positions and requests for additional concessions from personnel.