Arizona Chapter Associated General ContractorsSPECIAL NEWS BULLETIN
ADOT Announces Layoffs
"With state transportation funding depleted from legislative transfers and continued declines in transportation revenues, we announced our budget roadmap for FY 2010 last month to address a $100 million shortfall through reductions in services, facility closures, construction, maintenance and staff."
John Halikowski, Director
Arizona Department of Transportation
Text of Letter Sent to ADOT Staff Regarding Reductions
For nearly 10 months, I have described a "perfect storm" created by the fact that the state is using transportation dollars to pay for other needs at a time when there has been a severe reduction in money coming in from fuel taxes and vehicle sales.
With state transportation funding depleted from legislative transfers and continued declines in transportation revenues, we announced our budget roadmap for FY 2010 last month to address a $100 million shortfall through reductions in services, facility closures, construction, maintenance and staff.
Simply put: we will not have enough money to make it to the end of June without large cuts to services and state-funded operations. We've reached a point where employee impacts are unavoidable.
Yesterday about 90 ADOT employees serving in temporary, limited or uncovered positions were notified that they will be laid off. The majority of these employees serve in the Motor Vehicle Division.
In the weeks ahead, approximately 25 additional employees will be separated from state service following a process review and approval by the Arizona Department of Administration.
Each employee separated through these layoffs will have two weeks before their departure and will have access to resources, such as counseling through the Employee Assistance Program and resume development through ADOA's Career Central. Contact ADOT Human Resources at 602-712-8188 for more information.
These layoffs are the first in a series of employee-related actions that will impact divisions and groups across the agency. While the number of ADOT employees has been reduced through attrition by more than 10 percent as a result of the hiring freeze in place since February 2008, further staff reductions are anticipated this fiscal year.
In general, MVD customer service staff will be one-third less due to the number of positions vacant or laid off. ADOT customers likely will experience longer visit times at field offices, which had been steadily improving through concentrated efforts by MVD staff.
Given our reduced work force, we are working to streamline operations and capture efficiencies to serve customers. We also will continue providing customers with alternatives to visiting an MVD office with a range of services online or through third-party providers.
This is a difficult time of the year to take action like this, but waiting was simply not an option. Due to the nature of annual appropriations, delays in action require more extensive reductions in operations to generate the same amount of money over a shorter period of time
At a time when the people of Arizona are demanding better and faster service, and in an economy that desperately needs to retain jobs, this was a move that we hoped to avoid. The reality of our budget, however, leaves few options.
ADOT is seeking alternative funding sources, like federal money for construction work or grants for specialized services, to reduce agency expenses while retaining critical staff. You'll continue to see projects being built because Arizona receives federal money to pay for these improvements and can be reimbursed for the associated employee expenses.
However, laws restrict how we can use these funds and some operations, like MVD customer services and highway maintenance, are not eligible for federal funding.
I ask for your patience as we continue to monitor revenues and assess our operations. I know that these are uncertain times and that uncertainty generates fear of the unknown. Let's try to deal with the facts as we all work through this.
As ADOT employees, I wanted you to be the first to hear about this before the information becomes available to the public later today. Thank you for your continued service and your efforts to help us weather this storm.
Sincerely,
John S. Halikowski
Director
Text of Letter Sent to ADOT Staff Regarding Reductions
Arizona Chapter AGC
1825 W. Adams
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
602-252-3926
www.azagc.org
