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Direct from the Director

Some state agencies are balancing their budgets by requiring employees to take unpaid leave or furloughs.

Employees are asking: “Is ITD planning on employee furloughs as well?”

No mandatory employee furloughs have been required for ITD employees at this time and none are planned.

However, in these uncertain economic times, there are no absolutes.

As director, I will strive to keep our employees on the job delivering the valuable services our customers expect. But that will require us to make tough decisions about reductions in other programs.

The department already has made difficult decisions to keep its budget balanced.

• Our division administrators are managing their personnel budgets by eliminating paid overtime when possible, not filling seasonal or temporary positions, laying off temporary employees and keeping vacancies open longer than normal.

• We are closely monitoring our operating funds through reductions in travel and other expenses.

• We have reduced our administrative costs by 10 percent, and 18 positions were moved to “front line” service duties, primarily for maintenance work.

• We eliminated seven vacant positions from our personnel complement.

Each of us needs to scrutinize our expenditures carefully and perform our work in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible.

As a department, we have responded to every internal and external challenge, from storms, fires, and floods to tough economic conditions. We have been and are responding to our budget challenges in a positive manner. One way you can help is to think innovatively about how you and ITD as a whole can be more efficient and to make every day as productive as possible.

These are difficult times that demand difficult decisions. Each of you has played a part in helping us weather the economic storms, and I am confident you will be just as important as we emerge this time.

Thank you for your continued commitment.

Brian Ness
Director