Last Friday's Group of 180 was our first opportunity to present the first phase of our 2010/11 budget adjustment recommendations. This was the same presentation that I will make to the Board of Commissioners at this Wednesday's Ways & Means meeting.

These recommendations represent six months of work in this organization to assess, prioritize and sculpt our 2010/2011 budget which must close our projected $26 million deficit. The recommendations were made available online last week, when the June 3rd Ways & Means meeting agenda was published. The information is comprehensive and includes:

• The Executive Summary
• The 2010/2011 Phase 1 Budget Adjustments Cover Memo and Resolution
• The PowerPoint presentation on the 2010/2011 Phase 1 Budget Adjustments
• The Non Union Compensation & Benefits Adjustments Cover Memo and Resolution

This first phase of our 2010/11 budget adjustment recommendations will address about $14.5 million of the $26 million shortfall. As you can see, they include adjustments to the non-union employees' compensation and benefits. A large part of the rest of reductions and adjustments is dependent on the outcome of talks with our 17 unions in the next few months which, as you know, represent 81% of our employees.

The interdependent four areas we've discussed before - Revenue Generation; Department Adjustments; Employee Compensation and Benefits Adjustments, and Major Organizational Changes - must work together to meet our obligations. The most concise review of our options in all four areas is on slides 31-34 of the presentation.

Just this morning General Motors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the southern district of New York, and announced that the Willow Run Transmission plant will close at the end of 2010.

No one can really predict just how deep this financial crisis will be, or how long it will last. As I wrote in last week's Update, projections for even our 2009 deficit have proven to be very difficult. Of the County's three largest property tax payers, Pfizer has left - and left us with a bill for $1 million in the recent court settlement - and Visteon and GM have both filed for bankruptcy.

As I've said so many times, the reason we're here is to serve the public and help meet needs. My twofold primary goal throughout this intense budget process - which is fully supported by the Board - has been to save jobs and to save services.

This is an ongoing process that doesn't look like it will get easier for the next few years. But I think it is very important for you to realize that we have a plan, and that we have a timeline and that we are on track to get this organization, this community, to fiscal stability. It's that stability that will help us serve and continue to give us meaningful work.

Please feel free to let me know what you think, below or by email.

Thank you.

Bob