“We did it.”

Such were the initial words of rejoice and relief offered up by the Culver City City Council — via Vice Mayor Micheál (Mehaul) O’Leary — following the body’s 5-0 vote Monday, June 14 to adopt a resolution approving the 2010-2011 fiscal year budget.

An anti-climactic tone accompanied the official vote, couched in the middle of a two-hour meeting in which numerous other items of city business garnered more attention. Once the time came for the council to sign off on the budget — crafted by Interim City Manager P. Lamont Ewell with the help of city staff and numerous department heads — only a sparse crowd of those very same people remained in attendance at the Mike Balkman Council Chambers to await the decision.

Perhaps that’s an affirmative testament to the work Ewell and his staff have been able to produce during his brief stint at the city’s helm. From the moment he first unveiled the budget in mid-May — a specific two-year plan to help Culver City overcome a $7.6 million deficit — the process has moved along with few hiccups, through a series of weekly public presentations and less-visible, behind-the-scenes negotiations that helped shape the final product.

“I thought the process was very efficient,” said Ewell on Wednesday, June 16. “They (the council members) -certainly asked some very appropriate and probing questions about the budget. In the end, I’m certainly pleased that they agreed it was the proper approach to take.”

That approach includes a series of cutbacks to rein in spending, including the elimination of 60 city staff positions, which will result in approximately $5.6 million in savings during the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The city will also make a one-time withdrawal of $2 million from its reserve fund to balance the books, in turn creating a $2 million shortfall that will have to be made up in 2011-2012.

“We still have a major gap to close this coming year,” said Councilman Scott Malsin following Monday’s vote. “I think this was a good approach.  … We’re not happy we’re not at a truly balanced budget yet, but that is our goal.”

Undoubtedly the biggest tweak to emerge during the month that elapsed from the budget’s initial presentation to its passage centered on the possible layoff of city employees. During the council’s June 7 meeting, it was revealed that, due to leaving vacant positions unfilled, another round of “golden handshake” early-retirement incentives and some creativity in allowing employees to move into different positions within the city, perhaps as few as two layoffs would be necessary.

On Wednesday, Ewell confirmed that number could ultimately turn out to be zero, giving credit to Director of Human Resources Serena Wright for finding two more position shifts within the city that may be able to accommodate those employees.

“I’m relieved,” said Ewell, who was facing the possibility of issuing up to 16 layoff notices when the initial budget proposal was revealed. “Believe me, I was exceedingly elated to not have to impact the lives of even one person, needless to say 16.”

With the council having given its uniform nod to the budget document, city staff is already busy working on what must be done to take care of the $2 million shortfall that looms on the horizon for the following fiscal year. Ewell met with the city’s executive team Tuesday, June 15 to begin formulating plans, and he’s already composing a letter to be sent to the bargaining units representing city employees asking that they “keep their calendars open in August” for discussions.

In other words, while Monday night may have served as a moment of brief rejoicing, it was also a somber reminder of the hard work and decisions still to come.

“The reality is that as difficult as this budget was, next budget is going to be even more trying,” said Councilman Andrew Weissman. “If we are unable through negotiations, I think, to achieve the necessary reductions in terms of where we are structurally by way of deficit, the decisions that we’re going to have to make next year, with regards to next year’s budget, are going to be brutal compared to the ones that we made this year.”