TRPA announces reorganization

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency announced an internal reorganization late last week resulting in staff cuts, position changes, and organizational restructuring.

"While losing our valued colleagues is difficult, we are facing a perfect budget storm of reduced revenues, state cuts, and increased legal expenses," said TRPA Executive Director Joanne S. Marchetta. "We must position the Agency for survival and ultimately success in today's challenging economic climate."

Marchetta informed TRPA staffers last week about eight positions being eliminated and 12 other position changes in an attempt to meet the goals of the agency's strategic plan implemented last summer and to address a looming budget deficit.

"Had the Agency failed to act and continued with our status quo budget, we would be looking at an approximate $1.3 million deficit heading into our next fiscal year," Marchetta said.

TRPA initiated a reorganization last year in the first phase of strategic plan implementation. The plan includes four key pillars: accelerating threshold gain on the ground, streamlining, operational efficiency, and community engagement. While cost savings is a major factor in this second reorganization phase, another driver is the need to streamline operations, flatten the management structure, and adjust priorities to reflect key goals.

Primary organizational changes include reducing the number of Agency planners because of a decline in permit fee revenues, eliminating the shorezone program implementation team because of the recent court decision which invalidated the Agency's 2008 ordinances, and restructuring the Regional Plan Update team.

Over the past three years, TRPA has taken aggressive steps to cut operating expenses including layoffs, salary freezes, work furloughs, travel and training cuts, and the closure of its north shore office location. Today's reorganization builds on these measures and takes the additional step of shifting program priorities to reflect current conditions.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency cooperatively leads the effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region now and in the future. For additional information, call Julie Regan at (775) 589-5237, or e-mail jregan@trpa.org.