Job losses likely for Walworth County workers
Several Walworth County employees could lose their jobs in 2010 as county officials scramble to close a $1 million budget gap.
County Administrator Dave Bretl said he might recommend cutting up to 10 full-time equivalent positions to reach the county’s base budget. The $1 million gap is caused by the rise in expenses to keep the county’s current level of services, which exceeds a 2.9 percent tax levy cap.
“Our payroll is the biggest percentage of our budget and the biggest driver of costs,” Bretl said.
Despite likely job losses, the number of position cuts Bretl is considering is lower than it has been in recent years.
Walworth County’s FTE cut was 34.7 in 2006, 21.9 in 2007, 26.7 in 2008 and 16.5 in 2009. Since 2005, the county has dropped from 971.56 FTEs to this year’s 871.62, a reduction of 99.9 FTEs.
Still, Labor and Employee Relations Director Suzi Hagstrom said personnel cuts are getting to a point where they can “definitely impact the services we provide.”
“Ten is better than 20, absolutely,” Hagstrom said. “The problem is that when we get lower and lower with our FTE count, we’re getting to … where there’s no more room (to cut).”
And as the economy worsens, requests for county services tend to increase, Bretl said.
Aug 7, 2009 at 3:38 a.m.
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No one is posting on this yet? $.02........I'm soooooo sure they will get rid of positions which are the most expendable. Ya right. They'll probably dig into the corrections officers, or county nurses, or clerical staff. Which are already ridiculously low in employee numbers everywhere. Then they'll give each other raises while they sit around and think of bureaucratic ways to micromanage. Then claim budget victories! Woo-hoo!
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We need the meat and potatos people to stay employed. Get it through your heads! And do all of us a favor and cut out the real 'pork'----you.
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