Cal City did not do its due diligence before layoffs, Creighton says

Jim Creighton, a California City council member, opposed the decision to lay off 19 employees, saying more could have been done before moving forward with the layoffs.

• City council approved the move to lay off 19 employees during a special meeting, 4-1, Wednesday night, with Creighton opposing.
• Cal City is scheduled to have a special election July 30 for a special tax that will help fund the police and fire departments.
• California City has 129 employees, but 19 are being laid off to save $1.3 million dollars and because a special tax vote failed in March.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

It's official...

19 employees are being laid off in California City.

I'm Steve Virgen, your neighborhood reporter.

The city council approved the move, 4-1, with council member Jim Creighton opposing it on Wednesday night.

Creighton talked to me by phone about the layoffs, saying they should have held off or tried to reduce that number.

"We did not look at services or contracts that could be canceled or stalled for a while. In totality, I don't think we all did our due diligence," Jim Creighton, California City council member, says via phone.

Creighton says there should have been alternatives sought rather than laying off nearly 20 employees.

The City says the move will save 1.3 million dollars, and it had to be done because the special tax vote failed in March that would have brought in more than 5 million dollars.

Mayor Kelly Kulikoff told me that the City exhausted all other options.

Larry Brandenburg, a crime analyst for California City Police, is among those being laid off.

His last day is set for July 31st.

He is working on seven cold cases and when he's laid off, he says there won't be as much attention to those cases.

"The city council needs to put public safety and this department more on the forefront of their budget considerations because it's a necessary function for any city. The police and fire are paramount to public safety. Without that, you're gonna have a problem," Brandenburg says.

Cal City has a special election on July 30th for a special tax that will help fund its police and fire departments.

Creighton is against the special tax, saying it's unfair and it won't completely fund police and fire.

I'm Steve Virgen, your neighborhood reporter.

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