91ÊÓƵ

Beaverton plans to lay off seven employees at the end of June, casualties of the slow construction market. The equivalent of 10.6 full-time positions that are currently unfilled will also be eliminated.

The jobs are in site development and building inspection. Because the positions are paid directly by fees from building, site development and inspection, lower revenue projections mean fewer jobs, said city spokeswoman Amy Miner.

“It’s a reflection of what’s happening in the economy,” she said.

City employees, especially within the inspections group, have been cross-trained over the past few years, Miner said, allowing other workers to do some of the same work as the laid-off employees while the construction market remains slow.

“Particularly with the not-very-high level of activity, we will be able to provide the same quality of service,” Miner said.

The cuts will save the city $610,000 during the fiscal year starting July 1.

The city’s building fund has spent an average of $286,000 more than it takes in each year since the fiscal year ending 2006.

Those deficits have cut into the city’s contingency, where money collected from permit fees is used to pay for inspections over the next six months. Without the cuts, the projected contingency would drop to $476,000 for next fiscal year.

Site development permit fees and inspection fees have also declined since the fiscal year ending 2008, and the site development program is expected to have a $340,000 deficit at the end of June.

The building department will have five layoffs and one position left unfilled. The department will have the equivalent of 12.7 full-time employees remaining.

Within the site development program, which is part of the public works department, two employees will be laid off and two positions left unfilled. Seven full-time employees will remain.

The remaining unfilled positions are also in the public works department. Those include positions for an engineering construction inspector, engineering technician, planner and permit coordinator.