20 city positions to be eliminated, fire engine brown out and future service changes ahead as part of long-term fiscal plan
FOLSOM, Calif. — Before a large crowd filling its chambers, Folsom City Council unanimously approved a sweeping package of cost-saving measures designed to close a multimillion-dollar gap in the city’s general fund for fiscal years 2025, 2026, and beyond. The plan includes the elimination of 20 full-time positions, the browning out of one fire engine, and a major reorganization of several city departments in the months ahead.
The council’s action followed months of public workshops and hearings. In May, staff presented a new line-item budget format at a well-attended workshop at the Folsom Public Library, offering residents a more transparent view of city finances. By June, hearings revealed that anticipated revenues of $119.9 million would fall short of projected expenditures of $123.4 million, leaving a $3.49 million deficit. Adjustments later reduced that gap to roughly $3 million, with the understanding that deeper structural cuts would need to follow this fall.
City Manager Bryan Whitemyer told the council and a packed chamber that Tuesday’s action was necessary to “right-size” operations and ensure long-term fiscal stability, particularly after voters rejected the proposed Measure G sales tax increase in 2024.
“This is not a fun time. This is not a place that we’d like to be at. This is not a place that we want to be at, but it’s a place where as we’ve looked at our current circumstances and trying to take into account where do we want to be, not just next year, but in the years to come, that we need to do something different so that we can close the budget gap so that we can live within our means so it gives us the chance to be successful into the future,” Whitemyer said.
The adopted resolution eliminates 20 positions, five of which are currently filled. Cuts include positions in finance and IT, the city attorney’s office, the library, fire, and police departments. Notably, the plan calls for the elimination of five vacant firefighter positions and four funded police positions, as well as the layoff of filled positions in IT and the city attorney’s office. To bridge service gaps, the city intends to contract out certain IT functions.
The most visible operational change is the “browning out” of one of Folsom’s five fire engines. Fire Chief Ken Cusano outlined a detailed realignment that keeps all six fire stations open while shifting apparatus and personnel to balance fire suppression and ambulance coverage. Engine 34, located in what Cusano described as the city’s lowest fire risk zone due to universal sprinkler protection in residential and commercial buildings, will become a reserve engine. A tiller truck will be moved from Station 35 to Station 34, while advanced life support medic units will be strategically reassigned to maintain transport capability.
“We are going to be browning out one of our engine companies, one of the five engine company companies that we have in the city,” Cusano explained. “We developed a map just so that you can see where stations are located. … We are going to move our tiller truck 35, which is at Station 35 right now. We are going to be moving that to Station 34. That will become tiller truck 34. The engine that is currently out there at 34 now will just be eliminated from our staffing, and that engine will become one of our reserve engines.”
The staff report noted that the change is intended to reduce overtime while keeping coverage in the city’s highest-risk areas, such as the Historic District and central business corridor. Response times could be affected during simultaneous calls, but the department will monitor impacts and coordinate with the regional dispatch center.
Council members acknowledged the pain of the cuts but emphasized the necessity of acting quickly.
“It’s been challenging times working our way through the anticipation of this day for the last six or seven years, and it has been coming for that long and plain as day in the future. And the future’s here right now,” said Councilmember Mike Kozlowski. “I think the work that the staff has done, the very careful work that the fire department and the police department have done to prepare, you know, for these adjustments, and especially the work and leadership of our city manager has been exemplary in dealing with what we have to deal with right now.”
Vice Mayor Justin Raithel added, “I do think getting our house in order and stop being in a budget crisis every single year… I appreciate the efforts to right the ship as painful as it might be.”
Cost of Zoo subsidy to be reviewed further
The council also discussed the city’s ongoing $1.8 million annual subsidy of the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, which costs $2.54 million to operate and generates only about $736,500 in revenue. While no action was taken, staff highlighted the potential to transition management to a nonprofit partner, as Sacramento did in 1997 when it transferred its zoo operations to the Sacramento Zoological Society.
The zoo, established in 1963 after a bear cub named Smokey was orphaned in a forest fire and brought to Folsom, has long been a beloved community institution. Local service clubs built the first enclosures, and over the decades, nonprofits and volunteers have contributed countless hours and dollars to build the sanctuary into what it is today. With more than 100,000 annual visitors, the zoo remains popular, but staff noted the city can no longer ignore the magnitude of its subsidy.
“This is not a conversation tonight to say, hey, how quickly can we close the zoo?” Whitemyer said. “It’s in many ways to highlight this so that, hopefully, there’s more community discussions so that people become aware of the challenge, and we can see who’s out there.”
Tuesday’s actions are first phase
Tuesday’s action was labeled “Phase One” of a two-part process. “Phase Two,” to be presented at the Oct. 14 meeting, will include broader reorganization plans for Community Development, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, and Environmental and Water Resources departments, with potential use of special revenue funds to further reduce pressure on the general fund.
The staff report noted that some community members and city employees expressed concern that Folsom may be moving too quickly to close its budget gap. However, staff emphasized that prolonged deficits erode organizational stability, risk further employee losses to neighboring cities with stronger finances, and damage morale. The report also stressed that Folsom’s quality-of-life infrastructure — trails, parks, playgrounds, sports fields, tennis courts, and city buildings — is aging and in need of tens of millions of dollars in repairs. Cutting costs now, staff argued, is essential to begin setting aside resources for those long-term needs.
The measures approved Tuesday are expected to save $3,093,130 in the current fiscal year and nearly $3,772,392 in the following year. Even so, staff cautioned that the city faces ongoing pressures from rising labor costs, inflation, and deferred infrastructure needs. The report noted that the approach taken aligns with Government Finance Officers Association best practices by ensuring structural balance, linking decisions to strategic priorities, and providing transparency and accountability to residents.
“We hired the city manager to stabilize our budget, to rebuild the trust in our city, and to continue to build a great culture and build up the morale in the city. And, unfortunately, that is hard,” said Councilmember Anna Rohrbough.
The council voted 5-0 to adopt the resolution. Employees whose positions are eliminated will receive notice and support as outlined in their labor agreements.
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Folsom City Council, budget cuts, Folsom budget gap, layoffs, fire engine brownout, Folsom Zoo Sanctuary, Bryan Whitemyer, Ken Cusano, Mike Kozlowski, Justin Raithel, Anna Rohrbough, Folsom city services, fiscal stability
