[ODF_Private_Forests] Update on 2009-11 ODF Budget planning

Fri Oct 31 13:17:18 PDT 2008

ODF Private Forests News members --

Chief of the Private Forests Division Jim Paul issued the following message to staff Thursday regarding a $ 6.7 million reduction to the 2009-11 ODF Budget request in light of recent economic events, and requests from the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.

It is provided to help communicate the economic situation facing ODF for the coming year, and agency response scenarios for the future. It is the intent of ODF to keep stakeholders informed and seek guidance from stakeholders as budget issues develop during the coming weeks.

A two-page summary which explains the current revenue situation is also attached.

Kevin Weeks
Public Information Officer
ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division
(503) 945-7427

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Hi everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to update you on our budget situation, and on our planning for the challenges the Department is facing as we look toward the 2009-2011 biennium.

As Clark Seely and I mentioned in our last message, state government as a whole is not expected to have enough revenue during the 2009-11 biennium, which begins next July 1, to maintain services and programs at current levels. State agencies have been directed to identify 10 percent reductions in General Fund - essentially state income tax revenue, the funding source over which the state has the greatest control - for 2009-11.

As many of you are aware, a General Fund reduction for the Department is most felt in the Fire Protection or Private Forests divisions.  Because of the risks involved in reducing initial attack resources, the Executive Team made the difficult choice of focusing the reduction plan on the Private Forests Program. However, these cuts would touch the entire agency - by further limiting our fire militia, for example, and by affecting the way we manage vacancies throughout the Department.

At this point - and the situation will change as we move into 2009 - our plan calls for elimination of about 37 staff. There's more detail about the plan at the end of this message, but thought I'd first let you know where we are today in planning for these reductions, and finding opportunities for those whose positions are at risk.

1) What ODF is doing right now.

Retaining ODF personnel, our greatest asset in serving the public, will be the top priority. This may mean transferring people among divisions or from one location or set of duties to another, holding positions vacant during this biennium to provide flexibility later, and other measures.

Although the reductions aren't scheduled to go into effect until July 1, we can begin doing some of these things right away. This week, we rolled out the following specific actions to begin addressing the possibility of reductions:
*       Wherever we can, we will work to have vacant positions available to provide options for employees whose positions must be eliminated. However, this requires some administrative balancing, as positions may be lost from ODF's roster if they remain vacant for a long time.
*       Starting right away, we will work to fill vacant Natural Resources Specialist 1 and 2 positions as limited duration or developmental positions through next June 30.
*       We will work with stewardship foresters and others in positions that are 'at risk' to consider seeking promotions within ODF, transfers, or other ODF positions that depend less on General Funds, where this would be a good fit for the employee and the Department.

The planning team (the three Area Directors, the Division Chiefs, Associate State Forester Clark Seely, and Human Resources Director Jeanne Davis) is meeting regularly to fully develop and implement the plan.

2) Spending conservatively, now and in the future.

At this point, it appears that our funding is adequate in Private Forests and across the agency for the current biennium, although release of the next statewide revenue forecast on November 19 will be an opportunity for the Department of Administrative Services and the Governor to re-evaluate.

In any case, we must continue to spend wisely and conservatively, as economic conditions allow. Knowing that things may yet change this current biennium, we need to do what is necessary to continue getting our jobs done. This includes moving forward, for now, with essential training activities.

3) We need to keep in close communication about the future.

At this point we can't say with certainty what the economic downturn will mean for ODF. Much depends on how the economy fares and on decisions that the Governor and the Legislature will make to allocate available revenue across all state services.

What we can do is plan for the future, as much as we're able to anticipate it, while continuing to provide important services to Oregonians and getting the job done. This will require the need to be responsive to potential changes in the road ahead. To help you be aware of any changes as we move on down the road, the Executive Team is committed to keeping you informed on a regular basis. We'll continue to send these kinds of messages every two or three weeks (more often if new information becomes available) and to discuss the situation with employees and stakeholders.

4) What the reduction plan means for Private Forests - and a new vision.

Earlier in this message, I mentioned that I would provide some more details about the current reduction plan for the 2009-11 biennium, beginning next July 1. Here are some particulars as we know them today, with the understanding that things will change between now and July 1.

As currently envisioned, the plan:
*       Reduces the Private Forests budget by $6.7 million (roughly one-quarter) once matching funds tied to the General Fund dollars are factored in.
*       Eliminates funding for eight Salem Private Forests staff and 23 stewardship foresters in the field. Six additional staff positions in specialized roles based in the field would also be eliminated.  When analyzing potential reductions, we have made every effort to retain headquarter staff positions necessary for supporting policy direction changes and field operations, while ensuring capacity in the field to serve landowners.
*       Reduces overall field and headquarters staffing in the Private Forests Program by 32 percent - back to levels of the late 1980s.
*       Eliminates the Department's formal involvement with the Oregon Plan, recovery planning for salmon and other aquatic species, the state Invasive Species Council, the Pesticide Stewardship Partnership, and other interagency activities. While program goals and objectives would continue to indirectly support Oregon Plan and recovery efforts, there would no longer be dedicated funding available for these purposes.

Together, these measures would reduce our ability to administer the Forest Practices Act and may require statutory and/or rule changes. In fact, as we move through this reduction phase, it is essential that we craft a vision that clearly expresses what we strive to accomplish for Oregonians with the Private Forest resources and reduced capacity available to us, and how we can succeed in realizing that vision. In other words, the program needs to have a clear vision of the future, and the confidence that we have the means and ability to achieve it.  There will be further discussion about this, internally and externally, as we move forward.

5) The next steps.

These are difficult and unsettling times. Important mileposts ahead of us may change our plans:  the November 4 election, with several ballot measures that may affect state finances; the November 19 state government revenue forecast; the release of the Governor's Recommended Budget on December 1; and decisions during the 2009 Legislative session, which begins January 12 and is expected to run about six months, until the start of the 2009-11 biennium.

The Executive Team is committed to keeping you up to date as events unfold.  We will do this through regular messages such as these, along with discussions at staff meetings and, as things become clearer, with individual employees.  We've weathered difficult budget periods before, and, together, will do so again. I appreciate your continued hard work and dedication, particularly in such uncertain times. My sincere thanks for all you do.

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact your District Forester, Area Director, Program Director/Deputy Chief, myself, or any of us on the Executive Team.

Jim Paul
Private Forests Division Chief
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