PULLMAN, WA — The City of Pullman has announced reductions to staff hours, seasonal hiring, and several city services as officials work to address an ongoing budget shortfall.

City administrators said the changes are part of a broader effort to reduce costs while maintaining core services. The measures include cutting hours for some casual employees, reducing seasonal hiring, and scaling back certain programs and facility operations.

Beginning March 16, 16 casual employees across multiple departments will have their hours reduced to zero. Casual employees are part-time workers who typically work fewer than 16 hours per week and do not receive city benefits. Pullman policy requires staffing reductions to begin with casual, seasonal, and temporary employees.

The affected positions include nine reserve firefighters, four reference assistants at the Neill Public Library, and three Public Works positions, including a fleet maintenance office staff member, a transit bus washer, and an engineering intern. City officials said minimum fire department staffing levels will remain unchanged and Public Works duties will be reassigned or deferred.

The city is also reducing future seasonal hiring, including seven positions in Parks and Facilities and 17 positions in Parks and Recreation. Some positions may still be filled with fewer hours.

Several services will also be scaled back. Starting March 16, Neill Public Library hours will be reduced by seven hours per week. Parks and Recreation will cut the number of city-sponsored Concerts in the Park from six to four and Movies in the Park from four to two.

The Pullman Recreation Center will eliminate Sunday open gym hours beginning March 29 but will continue to allow private rentals. At Reaney Park Pool, open swim will be offered daily from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. starting June 13, while water exercise classes and the Barracuda Swim Team will not be offered this season.

In total, the changes affect 40 casual and seasonal positions and are expected to save about $300,000, reducing the city’s 2025–2026 General Fund shortfall to approximately $800,000.

Officials said the reductions follow more than 18 months of cost-cutting measures across city departments, and additional steps may be needed to balance the budget.