The Davis City Council took a closer look Tuesday at the proposed $1.4 million in spending cuts for 2011-12, including reductions in public safety and recreational programs.

Interim City Manager Paul Navazio presented a department-by-department summary of the proposed job cuts and reductions, service impacts and budget changes that would close a $918,000 deficit and and free $485,000 to fund priority unmet needs.

Cuts are proposed in every department except public works, which has been hit significantly in previous budgets and receives a relatively small amount of general fund support, Navazio said.

In addition to “Tier 1″ budget-balancing measures, Navazio’s proposal includes “Tier 2″ reductions of $485,000 that would be invested in priority unmet needs, including street and facilities maintenance. The Public Works Department, which has 117.52 full-time-equivalent positions, may get an additional $150,000 from the general fund and $200,000 from roadway impact fees.

The Police Department may lose 2.5 full-time-equivalent positions, resulting in the elimination of one police officer, reduction of a police records specialist position by half, and deletion of two temporary, part-time positions — community services officer and police records specialist.

The department has 97.03 full-time-equivalent positions.

Proposed reductions in the Police Department total $263,232. Service impacts are the reduction of community patrol and response, reduction of the K-9 program by one officer-dog team and the closure of the public counter one day a week.

The Fire Department, which oversees 51.75 positions, may lose one currently vacant firefighter position. Reductions total $251,227, with much of the savings achieved by the merger of the city and UC Davis fire departments.

The budget also identifies a total $504,991 in cuts from the Community Services Department, which manages programs from child care to senior services and “everything in between,” said Community Services Director Elvia Garcia-Ayala. The department took on many of the responsibilities of the now-defunct Parks and General Services Department, which was eliminated in the 2010-11 budget.

“We have pretty much reached the bone — much of the fat is gone,” Garcia-Ayala said of the cuts the department endured so far.

This time around, Community Services may lose two positions, resulting in the reduction of a community services program coordinator position by 25 percent and the elimination of a park maintenance worker and part-time social services coordinator. There are 157.74 positions in the department.

The cuts would result in a reduction of recreation programs, subsidies to selected groups for facility and field use, and funding for integrated pest management, art in public places and Tree Davis.

Also proposed are the closure of Community Pool, reductions in tree maintenance, and elimination of funding for individual art grants and non-mandated mediation services.

Community Development and Sustainability, which has 26.8 positions, may see cuts totaling $224,667, including staffing reductions in the economic development and code enforcement programs.

Service impacts would include reduced business recruitment and retention services, and a change to complaint-based code enforcement, with little or no proactive abatement.

The budget identifies $128,803 in cuts from the city manager’s office, including eliminating courier service, funding for International House and stipend funding for the Police Advisory Committee; reducing the police ombudsman contract and the city’s promotions budget; and shifting accounting and Americans With Disabilities Act coordination services.

There are 42.24 full-time-equivalent positions in the city manager’s office.

The city may need to pare another $1.4 million from the budget after it is adopted if the state eliminates redevelopment agencies. The budget also maintains a 15 percent general fund reserve, which is the city’s emergency savings account.

— Reach Crystal Lee at [email protected] or (530) 747-8057.

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