Hey, #Boulder. It's on a very somber note that I prepare to live-tweet tonight's council meeting, the city having just announced that it is furloughing 737 employees from April 20 to June 28.

A hiring freeze was implemented before the last council meeting, where city staff discussed possibly not hiring seasonal or temporary workers, but this is far more drastic than what was hinted at April 7.

That's because the city's economic forecasting for the impacts of COVID have changed. What was presented as the worst-case scenario (though staff admitted it might not be) has now been re-labeled best-case: $28M in revenue declines, ~10% of yearly revenue.

I went with the actual budget shortfall number in my headline for that report (after emergency funding was used to fill the gap) bc I didn't want to be alarmist. Maybe I should have been. https://boulderbeat.news/2020/04/04/boulder-could-face-10m-budget-shortfall-due-to-covid/

These furloughs represent 38% cut in staff: 13% FTE and 98% of seasonal and temp workers.

They will continue to receive health benefits, paid for by the city. We'll know by June 1 if any / how many of these may turn into layoffs or longer furloughs.

Speaking of furloughs, I know I said I'd have more details on the local journalists' furlough fund I mentioned. Everything is in place except the reporters, who are still trying to work out if they could/will be fired for working for a competitor.

I have one more idea up my sleeve if that becomes the case; I know we could just give the journalists money, but that only solves one half of the problem. The community still needs news.

So, sorry to say again, but stay tuned.

Tonight's meeting is being conducted on Zoom, which should be a million times better than the previous meeting. But we really won't know that until we have public participation, which we don't tonight.

On the agenda: COVID update from health officials.

I've asked for case data by race/ethnicity and I'm told that's forthcoming, but maybe not for tonight.

Then the city response to various COVID issues, a revisit of community benefit Phase 2 and a discussion of initiative petitions.

And, briefly, a demo of the Google/city services eligibility calculator I wrote about last year: https://boulderbeat.news/2019/11/17/google-boulder-team-up-to-create-eligibility-calculator-for-city-services/

I feel like I'm forgetting something but honestly my brain is saturated. I took the day off because I just had to.

Yates is leading the meeting bc "something came up" with Mayor Weaver. Not sure if he'll join us.