Mahoning sheriff: Layoffs likely this year

YOUNGSTOWN — An “almost certain” $1.5 million reduction in the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department budget means layoffs are likely this year, Sheriff Randall A. Wellington says.

The sheriff gave that information to the union that represents his ranking officers, deputies and civilian employees.

Even with substantial concessions and modifications to the union contract, “The almost certain scenario that we must react to is that we do not have enough of a budget to keep everyone employed throughout this year,” the sheriff wrote in a Thursday letter to Chuck Wilson, Fraternal Order of Police staff representative.

Today, the sheriff said county Administrator George J. Tablack told him to expect the sheriff’s department budget to be reduced from $17.3 million last year to $15.8 million this year.

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