San Bruno postpones budget approval

Approving a $30.3 million budget for next year, which includes $1.85 million in reductions, was postponed Tuesday by the San Bruno City Council in hopes of holding a meeting with more members in attendance.

With only three of the five councilmembers in attendance, the San Bruno City Council opened the public hearing about the proposed $30.35 million operating budget, representing a 1.6 percent drop in revenue from the current year. It did not, however, vote on the proposal. A special yet-to-be-scheduled meeting will be held soon.

Making $1.85 million in cuts will come from $900,000 in one-time funds, $137,000 in savings from sharing fire services with Millbrae and $821,000 from reducing employee positions.

At the same meeting, the council approved a contract agreement with the San Bruno Management Employees Association calling for the continuation of salary freezes through June 30, 2012. Furloughs will also continue under the agreement. Next year, the group agreed to eight furlough days. In the 2011-12 fiscal year, the number of furlough days increases to 10.

Thus far, two of the city's six union groups have agreed to continued salary freezes and furloughs. The budget is built in anticipation of all groups signing on. Negotiations continue with the other groups.