Mayor Kabat proposes major reorganization of City of La Crosse departments for 2021

A reorganization in the city of La Crosse.

Mayor Tim Kabat sent a letter to department heads, the city council on a proposed reorganization of the 2021 operating budget.

A lot of positions within the city will be eliminated, as states and cities across the country are strapped for cash amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first thing Kabat writes is that the city will create an Operations Department, to be headed by current Parks and Rec. director Jay Odegaard.

Operations would consume the Parks, Rec., Forestry and Facilities Department, the La Crosse Center, the Streets, Refuse and Recycling, as well as Utilities and Engineering.

The Mayor also proposes eliminating director positions for both the La Crosse Center and the City Engineering, Public Works.

WIth that, Kabat added that both of those people are thought to be retiring in 2021, anyway.

On top of those cuts and combinations, Kabat listed a slew of other areas that would be eliminated:

— Vacant Safety Coordinator/Risk Manager and vacant Code Enforcement Technician positions within the Fire Department and Division of Community Risk Management. Hiring 

— Eliminate the Courtesy and Customer Service Representative in the Mayor’s office. 

— Eliminate the Sidewalk/ADA Technician position

— Eliminate the Environmental & Sustainability Planner position. The City must shift focus from planning to operational improvements related to clean energy, climate action and resiliency. A new position in the Operations Department to be created to address these needs. 

— The floodplain advisory committee staffing duties will be transferred to Utilities-Storm Water. 

— The Economic Development Planner position within the Planning & Development Department will be reorganized into a redevelopment administrator to staff the Redevelopment Authority and economic development programs.

— Eliminate the vacant Assessment Technician position.

Read the full letter below: