VIDEO: Mayor Identifies Attrition as Cost Saving Measure

By Wendy Osher

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UWsIOqTYek /] Vacant positions on Maui will stay that way under an attrition policy that went into effect on March 1, 2011.  The internal county employment attrition policy applies to all county departments except the Maui Police and Fire Departments. 

The money saving measure gives departments the option of leaving the position vacant; filling the vacant position via internal promotion or hire and leaving another position vacant; or submitting a request through the Office of the Mayor or Managing Director for a special review and determination. 

“We’ve created a system by which we will probably downsize government about 150 to 170 positions per year for the next one or two years,” said Mayor Alan Arakawa in an exclusive interview today.  The policy is expected to remain in effect until rescinded by the Mayor.

Mayor Arakawa noted that the County of Maui loses an estimated 9 to 10 percent of its employees each year because of retirement or because they leave. 

Photo © Wendy Osher 2009.

“We are trying to make sure that we can balance our budget, and one of the ways that we have to do it is by downsizing government because we can’t continue to expand and expect to pay all of the benefits and employee salaries,” said Mayor Arakawa.  “Our community budget just will not withstand it,” he said.

The money saving measure is just one of the actions being taken to address budget issues.  Another is the proposed expansion of concessions at County parks. 

“Taking proactive measures, we are going to be downsizing our government system, but we also have to look at other things within the community,” said Mayor Arakawa.