City enacts hiring freeze Jan. 1

The city of Springfield will implement a hiring freeze effective Jan. 1 in response to economic conditions.

The freeze applies to all full-time and contract positions funded by the city's general fund, according to a news release. The decision comes in light of declining city sales tax revenues, which are down 2.57 percent so far this fiscal year compared the same time last year.

Starting next month, no vacant full-time positions will be filled unless prior approval is granted by City Manager Greg Burris to meet a critical operational need; no new requests for contract employee positions can be submitted for approval after Jan. 1; and no existing contract positions will be filled with anyone other than the incumbent after Jan. 1, unless Burris gives specific prior approval.

The city says the hiring freeze is not a result of the nearly $200 million shortfall in the Police and Fire Pension Fund, according to the release. A 1-cent sales tax on the February ballot is among the city's efforts to bring the pension up to full funding levels.