Hello. I wanted to take some time today to update staff on the situation here at CES. Please see the attached video with an update. I’ve also provided the plan, A Path to Financial Stability: CES’s Plan for a Sustainable Future, referenced in the video.
I have to admit, I’m tired on this Monday morning as I record this. It seems like “tired” is the go-to feeling these days with all the chaos at the federal level—the executive orders of questionable legality at best, and what feels like a constant attack on the social justice, equity, and belonging principles that we here at CES hold dear. Things are heavy.
I also recognize that for members of our BIPOC and LGBTQ+ staff and communities, these attacks hit harder—and they’re personal. I just want to let you know that our organization remains committed to supporting those values in all the activities we do, the actions we take, and the programs we support. Nothing has changed. Leadership and I are constantly assessing what feels like daily updates to these attacks in order to position ourselves to support you—our staff—and the communities we serve.
Our commitment remains firm, and we will continue to do this work, which is more critical now than ever. It doesn’t help that, on top of everything else, we are also experiencing financial challenges here at CES as we work to stabilize our financial situation. One thing I want to reinforce is that CES remains a financially stable organization. I know it can feel shaky at times as we make decisions affecting our financial processes, but we still have a safety net in the equity we hold in our buildings.
The actions we’ve taken so far—hard as they’ve been—will position us well as we create the FY26 budget. Last week, I presented a plan for financial sustainability to the Finance Committee. This plan is broken out into three parts:
- Actions we’re currently taking,
- The creation of the FY26 budget, including a clear timeline of events so that everyone, including staff, knows what’s coming and what the key dates are, and
- A section focused on FY26 and beyond—how we work together to position CES in this new environment to ensure our revenues cover our expenses, while just as importantly, ensuring that CES remains firm in its values, mission, and commitment to the populations we serve.
This is all wrapped into a succinct, three-page document that provides a roadmap for what’s to come. As we move along this path, people will know what actions we’re taking and why.
I also want to reinforce one important point: when we made our initial round of cuts in January, we said we’d reassess in April to determine whether any further staff reductions would be necessary. I want to reassure everyone now that we are not going to be making any further staff reductions between now and the end of the fiscal year. At this point, we wouldn’t save enough to justify the hurt and harm it would cause. So, we’ve made the decision not to make further reductions to close any gaps this fiscal year.
The one caveat to that is if the federal government were to pull funding for a specific program or position, we would need to respond accordingly. But in general, there will be no further reductions this fiscal year.
Another key piece of the financial sustainability plan is improving communication with staff. We’ve heard you—loud and clear—and I’ve heard you that we need to do a better job of informing staff about what’s happening at CES. This video is one attempt to do so.
We’ve also begun the employee listening sessions. Like anything new, they haven’t gone perfectly right from the start, but we’re listening to feedback and will continue to refine them going forward.
Last week, I sent an email to managers who aren’t on the Cabinet, inviting them to our Cabinet meeting on April 2nd to share their perspectives and provide feedback, input, and ideas as we develop the FY26 budget. These are just a few ways we’re working to improve communication with staff, and we’ll continue to explore others.
I’ve also made it one of my professional development goals to ensure that, as we move forward as an organization, everyone has the opportunity to be heard. Along those lines, I want to remind everyone: if you’re feeling anxious, afraid, or if you just want to talk—please reach out to me. I’d be happy to attend your department meeting. You’re welcome to meet with me in my office, or we can set up a Google Meet or a phone call. My door is open. I’ll listen, and I’ll always try to be transparent and share as much information as I have.
It’s challenging with our organization being stretched across the state and also working in a hybrid environment. The chance to bump into people in the hallways like we used to just isn’t there anymore, so we need to make time to build and maintain those connections. And I’m committed to that.
At our core, we remain what we’ve always been—an organization dedicated to shaping the path forward. I remain optimistic. I’m naturally optimistic, but the reason I stay hopeful is because of our staff—because of what this organization is. As I said earlier, that hasn’t changed. We will remain a driving agent for innovation, and we will continue to support the populations that need us the most.
So—take care of yourselves. I hope you all have a good week. Find time for self-care during these difficult times. Be with your family. Read a book. Get out into the woods—that always helps me. But most of all, take care of yourself and each other.
Thank you all. Have a great week.
Todd