The Snohomish Health District won’t go ahead with plans for layoffs, at least for this month.
Instead, board members said they want to see if additional money can be obtained from the county or other sources to keep as many jobs and services as possible.
The public health agency will spend the next few weeks fine-tuning its 2009 budget to get updated revenue estimates for next year.
Last month, the health district said it would have to cut 35 positions by Nov. 1 and possibly another 50 in January, because of a projected $4.4 million shortfall.
The district employs the equivalent of 237 full-time employees.
The Snohomish Health District provides a number of health-related services, from being on the lookout for food-borne illnesses and outbreaks of contagious diseases to providing immunizations for children, particularly low-income children.
On Tuesday, the health district’s board took one step on its own to increase revenues, approving a hike in fees averaging 20 percent for a number of services.
Overall, the new fees are expected to bring in about $800,000 next year.
Roughly half of that will come from the new charges for inspection fees for restaurants and other food establishments, such as grocery stores, said Randy Darst, who works in the agency’s environmental health division.
Fees for reviewing septic system plans also are increasing. The exact amount depends on the size and type of system. But next year, the costs will range between $680 and $820, Darst said.
The fee increases will help cut the estimated shortfall to about $3.2 million. Without additional money, the health agency will still likely have to cut jobs, said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer.
“At this point, we’re still looking at least at those 35 positions,” he said.
Last month, Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon said the county — and local cities — should chip in to help the public health agency.
However, the county is in a budget crunch of its own. Reardon’s budget, released last week, called for adding just $150,000 in additional money to help run the health agency.
“The $150,000 offered up is just kind of the starting point,” said Snohomish County Council member Dave Somers, who, along with the other members of the council, is also on the health district’s board.
So far, no cities have volunteered to chip in to help get the health district through next year. Many are facing cutbacks of their own, because of a decline in tax revenues caused by the downturn in the economy.
A meeting is expected be scheduled later this month with representatives from cities throughout the county to discuss how additional money might be provided, said Christopher Schwarzen, Reardon’s spokesman.
Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.
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