The fastest-growing city in the State of California is not down in Southern California, or the bustling San Francisco Bay Area, but right here in San Joaquin County.
According to the California Department of Finance, Lathrop’s 6.6 percent growth between 2021 and 2022 makes it the fastest growing city, per capita, in the entire state, giving the city a population of 31,331 as of Jan. 1 of this year.
And with that growth comes the need for expansion.
On Monday, the Lathrop City Council approved several job reclassifications in the Parks and Recreation and the Streets and Maintenance Divisions that will allow Lathrop to prioritize resources in order to meet the growing demand on the city’s staff.
While the approval will result in some shuffling of titles and reclassifications of duties, the action of the council will result in a net increase in salary costs of $110,485 – with the bulk of that increase coming from the $59,265 spike needed for a full-time Senior Recreation position in order to ensure that the city’s public recreational offerings continue to meet the rising demand.
The remaining $51,220 will go towards converting a full-time maintenance worker into a maintenance supervisor in the division of Parks, Recreation, and Maintenance Services.
While urban areas across California have seen population declines over the last two years due to the pandemic and the shifting landscape of work in America, the South County has grown by leaps and bounds as evidenced by the neighborhoods popping up and the abundance of commercial and light industrial buildings that are dotting the outskirts of cities like Manteca, Lathrop, and Tracy.
As part of the council’s action on Monday, the positions that were presented to the council for consideration will receive updated job specifications and expectations.
And while the success of Lathrop’s approach to growth is noticeable, it has also been achieved over the last 15 years with a workforce total below that of other similar cities. After Lathrop was looking at projected shortfalls of nearly $16 million spurred the economic collapse of 2008 – which resulted in at least one major housing development falling through and creating years of work to clean up – the city cut back on its level of staffing, instituted mandatory furlough days, and focused on building reserves to ensure that the next rainy day can be managed.
The city cut the number of workers from over 130 down to approximately 85 – a level that remained for almost a decade until recent growth has prompted the city to prioritize certain positions and expand departments that need the additional manpower.
To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.
