Pomona will consider contracting with outside companies for some city services

Although the city recently adopted an operating budget, efforts to reduce city costs will continue.

In the coming weeks, City Council members will make decisions toward providing services in a cost-effective manner. This will include comparing costs provided by the city and outside companies.

Councilman Steve Atchley said the choices will not be easy.

"That's going to be very wearing," Atchley said. "It involves so many different trade-offs."

Contracting for services is not something new to Pomona.

The city already contracts out for its scheduled tree-trimming services and for landscaping services in the Phillips Ranch area, Councilwoman Paula Lantz said.

But also on the minds of council members are the city employees, some of whom could end up being laid off if the council opts to try contracting some services.

"Everybody is very sympathetic to current employees," Atchley said.

Lantz said the choices will be tough.

On one hand, the city must try to stretch out its limited resources, but she is also "torn between providing services and saving jobs."

Three proposals this summer will be go to the council.

Proposals for street-sweeping services and park maintenance are expected to be discussed on July 20, said Mark Gluba, assistant to the city manager.

A proposal for building and safety services will be on the agenda in August, Gluba said.

As part of efforts to come up with a balanced budget, cuts were made in various areas, such as reducing library hours, cutting back on some recreation services, leaving open a number of vacant Police Department positions and others.

Some services such as tree trimming were reduced.

Street sweeping was also reduced so proposals in that area will involving providing the service once a month instead of the current twice a month, Lantz said.

Decisions will also have to be made to determine if it is possible to bring down costs by contracting out for street-sweeping services.

So far, council members have not received information on the cost of using outside companies compared with city employees, Lantz said.

Although the council will look at three service areas to potentially contract out, city leaders may not necessarily want to have outside companies provide them all.

"Maybe the council will decide only to go with one of those elements," Lantz said.