Concessions by the Manteca Police Employee Association will save the city $2.4 million over the next four years.

The four-year contract through June 30, 2015 is expected to be approved today when the City Council meets at 3 p.m. at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St.

Three police support personnel were among the 10 layoffs last month the city made to keep expenditures in balance with shrinking revenue

“If all things remain the same as they are now, the city should be able to avoid further cuts,” noted City Manager Steve Pinkerton.

The city has reached agreements with three bargaining units so far. Those deals prevented the layoff of six firefighters.

The city still has yet to sign agreements with mid-management employees, Operating Engineers No. 3 and the Tech & Support Service unit.

Concessions are needed from all employee groups to eliminate a structural deficit. Without the concessions, additional layoffs would need to take place.

In 2009 when Manteca started rethinking how to deliver services to reduce costs, the anticipated deficit for the 2011-12 fiscal year was projected at $14.1 million if Manteca didn’t change its spending patterns. Savings put in place by reducing employees and the remaining workers stepping up to find more ways to do their jobs more efficiently reduced the upcoming projected deficit to $4.2 million.

Layoffs and concessions already made allowed the city this year to have a balanced budget where revenues meet expenditures. In the past several years, Manteca has drawn down reserves in addition to cutbacks to balance budgets. Contracts being negotiated to cover the next four years are aimed at eliminating the need for future cutbacks of staffing.

The Manteca Police Employee Association represents animal services officers, booking officer, code enforcement officers, community service officers, criminal analyst, lead police records clerk, police record clerks, property/evidence officer, and public safety dispatchers.