Due to continuing budgetary concerns and efforts to create more efficiency in City processes, Mayor Pete Lewis announced Wednesday the reorganization of Auburn’s planning and public works departments, police department as well as administrative changes effective Jan. 1.

Such changes have resulted in the elimination of 22 positions.

“Just like small business across the country,” Lewis said. “City governments must balance budgets and make difficult decisions.”

The most significant changes and improvements will be seen in the development review process in the Planning & Development and Public Works departments. Development engineers and planners from both current departments will now be combined in order to integrate the development review and permitting process and create more of a “one stop” service for citizens and developers.

“The end result should be more effective and efficient problem solving,” Lewis said. “We will now have engineers, planners and permitting folks working as a team to provide seamless customer interaction.”

Kevin Snyder, interim Planning Director, will be overseeing this newly-formed Planning & Development division.

The current Public Works department now will consist of Maintenance & Operations, Capital Projects and Utilities and will be lead by current Public Works Director Dennis Dowdy.

The police department will be reorganizing for further efficiencies to best serve the community. Police Chief Jim Kelly will announce those changes in early January.

The administrative staff will consolidate the Community Services and Communications divisions. Michael Hursh will now become the Community Services Manager and oversee human services, neighborhood services and cultural diversity programs. The Communications division will become the Public Affairs division and be lead by Dana Hinman and become the new Public Affairs Manager. This division is responsible for all external communications from the City of Auburn through media channels, website, government access television station and printed materials. These divisions will operate out of the mayor’s office.

To date, the City has reprioritized projects; reduced spending at all levels through program and personnel cuts, worked with its seven unions, accessed $1 million of its banked capacity, increased property taxes, and eliminated more than 80 positions; half which were layoffs, in order to continue to provide essential services to citizens and balance the budget.

“Letting people go is the last thing I want to do,” Lewis said. “The measures that the unions, the city council and department directors have been able to take saved a lot of positions and programs, but we could not save them all. This is a very tough thing to have to do.”