This holiday season, many Santa Barbara City offices will close from December 21, 2009 through January 1, 2010. In the past, offices have only closed only for Christmas Day and New Years Day. The closure of administrative offices and unpaid leave of city employees will save the city $3 million, $1.7 million of which is needed to balance the 2009-2010 fiscal year’s general fund budget.
Closed offices at City Hall include Administration, Mayor and Council Offices, City Clerk & Human Resources, Finance Administration, Billing, Licenses/Permits, Payroll & Risk Management, and Information Systems. The Fire Administration Office, Parks & Recreation Office and the Parks Office will also be closed.
Many services, however, remain available. The 9-1-1 dispatch service for police and fire emergencies, along with the Police and Fire Stations will remain open. City establishments like the airport, marina, golf course, public parking lots, and selected community centers and recreation facilities, and the Central and Eastside Libraries will also face regular holiday closure. Find a detailed closure schedule at the City of Santa Barbara homepage (santabarbaraca.gov).
As for the County of Santa Barbara, no furlough days are scheduled for the holiday season, despite the fact that they practiced the same furlough-induced closure schedule as the city last winter. Future city furlough days are scheduled for February 12, 2010 and May 7, 2010.