MAHONING COUNTY Recorder to lay off half of his staff

The office will be open to record documents only four hours a day.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County Recorder Ron Gerberry will lay off half of his 10-person staff effective April 22 and reduce office hours effective April 25.
The announcement is the latest to add to the growing list of employees who have lost jobs because of the county's fiscal problems.
"It was my sincere hope that this type of layoff would not be necessary, but in light of recent discussions with our commissioners it is clear that no additional funding will be available, and action must be now taken to ensure a balanced budget in the recorder's office," Gerberry said.
County officials have said the funding gap has been caused by the loss of the half-percent sales tax that expired Dec. 31, and which brought in between $12 million and $14 million, roughly one-third of the county's general fund revenue.
Commissioners have doled out the $39.9 million they had to spend this year. Budget requests came in at $53.9 million.
Gerberry said his 2005 general fund allocation was $399,621, a 26 percent reduction from last year. He had requested $665,159 this year.
In his first year as recorder, in 2001, Gerberry said his general fund allocation was $682,995.
Dedicated fee
Under Ohio law, a $4 fee is included in the cost of recording documents such as mortgages, liens, deeds and powers of attorney at the recorder's office.
That money is set aside and by law must be used only for improving technology in the office as well as preserving the county's land records, the recorder said.
Last year, the recorder's office brought in more than $1 million from document fees to the general fund.
Because of the staff reduction, Gerberry said his office will be open for recording documents from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday beginning April 25.
The office will close from noon to 1 p.m. for lunch. For now, only the records rooms will reopen at 1 p.m. for title and abstracting work and research, and they will stay open until 4 p.m.
During the afternoon, the remaining five workers will index, image and record all business of the day, Gerberry added.
By law, the recorder must have documents filed 24 hours after they are received, and he said that requirement will be met.
The office, however, has been consistent in having those documents returned to their respective parties in seven to 10 days, but that will no longer be the case with the staff reductions, Gerberry said.
Backlogs possible
The personnel cuts and reduced hours of operation could result in backlogs and also reduce the number of documents filed daily, he added.
That document reduction will impact the amount of money the recorder's office contributes to the general fund, Gerberry said.
"I sincerely understand the dire circumstances that face the commissioners and will remain committed to assist them in any way possible to get our county through these troubled times," Gerberry said.
Commissioners have placed a five-year, half-percent sales tax on the May 3 primary ballot. A committee has been created to promote the tax over the next several weeks and explain to residents its importance to the county's future.