10-14-26 BUDGET MEETING - PUBLIC HEARING No. 1

The City of Ithaca’s first 2027 budget public hearing, held October 14, 2026, included a presentation on the Human Resources Department’s budget and work plan. HR described citywide performance evaluations, improved employee onboarding, personnel-record digitization, recruitment and succession planning, and efforts to support employee safety and workforce diversity. The department proposed reducing positions by eliminating its equity, talent and acquisition specialist and deputy director roles, and delaying recruitment for a vacant HR specialist position while reassessing staffing needs. It also discussed testing the Hirefinder recruitment service and monitoring applicant results before deciding whether to continue it.

Proposed operating savings included discontinuing the annual Lexipol learning platform and using the IT department’s existing training platform, as well as ending a separate employee assistance/training service described as duplicative. No contract award or procurement approval was made. Council members discussed recruitment advertising costs, the need for comparable staffing benchmarks, employee feedback and morale, and civil service changes. The public hearing was opened unanimously, then the budget was tabled unanimously until Tuesday at 6 p.m.; no specific date for that session was stated in the transcript.