TRUMBULL CO. Officials warn of potential layoffs

The planning commission will decide on layoffs within a few weeks.
By STEPHEN SIFF
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- More Trumbull County employees may face layoff before the end of the year, officials warn.
Despite laying off more than 100 workers earlier this year, county departments are still running short of money as the year draws to a close.
"Additional layoffs are realistic," said Commissioner Michael O'Brien.
Officials say the situation is most dire at the county planning commission, which at the current rate of spending would end the year more than $120,000 short in the account that pays employee salaries.
The department expects to receive grantss to cover some of the projected shortfall but not all of it, said deputy county auditor Adrian Biviano.
"I don't know what they will do," he said.
Planning director Gary Newbrough said he thinks the actual amount of the shortfall will be $80,000, after grants come in and unspent money is taken from other departmental accounts. The planning commission will decide how to deal with the shortfall within a few weeks, he said.
In a letter last week, commissioners told department heads they will be expected to live within their budgets. Many departments will be able to shift money from nonsalary accounts to cover at least some of the shortfall, O'Brien said.
Commissioners say they have no more money to pass around.
What went wrong
Recent cuts in financial assistance from the state and sinking interest earnings on investments resulted in the county's pulling in $800,000 less than commissioners had anticipated, O'Brien said. The county budget is about $32 million a year.
If commissioners approve additional layoffs with only a few pay periods left in the year, more employees will have to be furloughed than had the decision been made earlier.
Unlike private companies, the county is required to pay 100 percent of the bill for employee compensation, further reducing the savings.
At the board of elections, officials are dealing with the tight budget by not holding training sessions for returning poll workers. The move is expected to save $8,000.
Trumbull County voters will be asked in November to approve a 0.5 percent piggyback sales tax to support county operations.
A committee of employees met for the first time last week to discuss how to support the tax.
siff@vindy.com