The Falls Church city government continues to chip away at its staff vacancies, but faces ongoing challenges with public safety recruitment.
The 8% vacancy rate recorded across all city departments in early November “is, I think, the lowest we’ve been since the pandemic,” City Manager Wyatt Shields told members of the City Council’s government-operations committee on Nov. 26.
“We’re making progress,” Shields said, despite challenges in filling police positions.
The 11 vacancies in that department represented more than half of Falls Church’s 20 total vacancies in Nov. 6 data. Shields called filling the vacancies “critical.”
The good news for city leaders: Since the Nov. 6 report, the police department has hired two new personnel, including a police officer and a professional standards manager.
The shortfall in police staffing has meant more overtime for those on the force, which has a budget impact that, Shields said, must be measured against the costs of hiring new personnel.
“That’s something we need to watch,” he said.
At the meeting, a brief discussion took place regarding the use of leftover budget funds to offer hiring incentives to police personnel in the increasingly competitive market for their services.
Across all departments citywide, there are about 260 staff positions. The 8% vacancy rate of early November compares to 11% in mid-July.
The most significant improvement came in public-works positions, dropping from six vacancies over the summer to just one in the latest figures.
The most recent report shows an average of 147 days to fill an open position, compared to 157 days over the summer.
“It’s improving, which is great to see,” said Arthur Agin, who won a City Council seat on Nov. 4 and was sitting in on the meeting. His term begins Jan. 1.
The lengthy time to fill vacancies is partly due to some public-safety posts that stay vacant for a year or more, as well as the broader challenges of hiring for specialized jobs.
“We have such a diverse workforce,” Shields said. “We know there are certain positions that just take longer.”
Council member Debora Schantz-Hiscott, who chairs the committee, said she hoped the average lag between a vacant position and hiring continues to shrink.
“The closer you are to 30, 60, 90 days, the better,” she said.
City leaders seek transportation funding: Falls Church City Council members have requested $650,000 in regional funds to continue local transportation, pedestrian and bicycle projects.
The funds will be sought from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority in a competitive process taking place next year.
Any funding received by the city would be available in fiscal year 2032, the next phase of an ongoing stream of regional funding.
According to city staff:
“The funds received will be used for pedestrian facilities such as sidewalk and crosswalk repair, bicycle facilities such as signs and markings, bridge inspections and maintenance, traffic-calming facilities, and Americans with Disabilities Act-related changes.”
Council members approved the request to seek the grant on a voice vote as part of their consent agenda on Nov. 24 .
City staff said it was unlikely the entire $650,000 request would be approved. But they said it was worthwhile to make the full submission and hope for the best result.
Submissions from jurisdictions across Northern Virginia are due by Jan. 16.
