Stuart cuts at least 11 jobs, says they'll save $1 million

STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — The City of Stuart is moving forward with a plan to cut its workforce to save nearly $1 million as the new fiscal year begins. The reduction will eliminate at least 11 city jobs, a number that could rise to 16 over the next two weeks, representing approximately three percent of the city’s total workforce.

City Manager Michael Mortell, who is overseeing the cuts, emphasizes the difficulty of the process, saying it is constantly on his mind.

“When you ask the question, how are we making sure it’s the right positions or whatever, it’s all I think about every day, and it’s all I think about every day since the first day of August,” Mortell said.

Mortell stressed that no department is immune to the reductions, but he described the process as a proactive measure.

“When we’re looking at savings, it doesn’t matter to us if it’s $1 million or $10; we try to operate lean and without wasting expenditures, so everything counts, but in this instance, it will be significant,” he explained.

The cuts are projected to save the city around $1 million over the next year. However, the plan includes the hiring of four new firefighters, which will reduce the net savings by almost half, leaving a net gain of roughly $650,000—or about one percent of the General Fund this year.

See also: Missing woman may be traveling on teal e-bike after car found in St. Lucie County canal

The current number of positions expected to be cut is 12, but this total could still fluctuate over the next two weeks. Mortell clarified that some cuts will be achieved by not filling vacant positions and through retirements, but confirmed that some employees will be laid off.

The decision has elicited mixed opinions from residents. Stuart resident Joey Beale commented on the balance between city size and efficiency, stating, “The city of Stuart It is relatively small in the scheme of things, so maybe I could understand their side of the point, on that at the same token I think you kind of have to analyze what the production of those people is and those roles that they’re playing.”

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