Hall to cut 32 employees on Friday, cuts could affect other services

GAINESVILLE - Thirty-two Hall County employees get pink slips Friday, a week before Hall Commissioners make a final decision on their controversial 2012 budget.
Commissioners voted 3-2 on Scott Gibb's motion to cut 32 county jobs, saying the cuts would occur whether or not commissioners vote for a tax increase.

"Under both budget proposals they are a minimum number of positions that are being eliminated or frozen," Gibbs said. "Of those 56 positions 24 are vacant and 32 are filled. It is in the best interest of both the county and the affected employees to proceed with the reductions as soon as possible."

The county will save one week's salary, or $24,000, by releasing these employees now rather than waiting until the new fiscal year begins July 1,

Chairman Tom Oliver cast one of the no votes, asking why a week would make a difference.

"Why would you present it today," Oliver said. "I understand there are not the votes to increase the millage." Why don't we do the whole budget as opposed to next Thursday?"

Billy Powell was also opposed saying the employees are under a lot of stress and $24,000 is a small price to pay to stretch it out to the end of the month. The 56 positions to be cut would help eliminate an $11.5-million deficit whether or not the Board approves a tax increase with the 2012 budget on June 30.

Commissioners Craig Lutz and Ashley Bell voted with Gibbs to make the employee cuts on Friday.

The cut workers would receive two weeks' severance pay and get their leave paid out according to Interim Finance Director Lisa Johnsa, who added that if the tax increase does not pass, 49 more positions could be cut next Thursday.

Impacted departments include the following:
Building Inspections (5 filled positions)
Marshals (1 filled position)
Animal Services (1 filled position)
E-911 (2 vacant positions)
Road Maintenance (7 filled positions, 8 vacant positions)
Fleet Maintenance (1 filled position, 1 vacant position)
Engineering (5 filled positions)
Planning (1 filled position, 2 vacant positions)
Jail (2 vacant positions)
Correctional Institution (4 filled positions, 3 vacant positions)
Courts (2 vacant positions)
EMA (1 filled position)
EMS (1 vacant position)
Fire (2 vacant positions)
Parks (6 filled positions, 1 vacant position)

CUTS COULD AFFECT PAUPER FUNERALS

With Hall County's possible massive budget cuts, the Department of Family and Children's Service would no longer be accepting indigent applications for pauper funerals, according to Johnsa.

Johnsa recommended, during the meeting, that funeral homes should not handle the applications.

"I would recommend against that," said Johnsa. "Because that would be kind of like the fox watching the henhouse. They would be approving themselves to then handle the service."

Johnsa said the county, or possibly a non-profit agency, could review applications

$70-thousand is budgeted for the service, with $1,500 for each funeral.