Ben Hill Co. employees to be laid off - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Ben Hill Co. employees to be laid off

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By Ashton Pellom - bio | email
Ben Hill County Manager Frank Feild Ben Hill County Manager Frank Feild

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BEN HILL COUNTY, GA (WALB) -

Ben Hill County employees such as Sheriff Deputies and emergency medical responders will be temporarily laid off to help the county's struggling revenue pull.

"We've been looking at declining revenues and increasing costs over the last five years. We've also been looking at about $15 million loss in the overall tax digest," said County Manager Frank Feild.

Wednesday night, county commissioners voted to raise the millage rate by 1 mill and lay off county employees for three weeks.

Feild says by laying off employees instead of using furlough days, employees will still be paid their regular pay.

"The layoff basically means that the Department of Labor will pay for the salaries during the time these folks are laid off. So the employees themselves would not be losing like they would if it was a furlough," said Feild.

"Public safety should not be sacrificed in an effort to save money," said Ben Hill County resident Jarrett Yarbrough.

Although County Manager Feild promises residents won't see a difference in services once employees are laid off, Yarbrough isn't buying it.

"That concerns me somewhat. It concerns me that we'll have appropriate services in times of need," said Yarbrough.

Feild stresses this measure has to be taken in order to keep the county running.

"We don't considerate drastic. We considerate it as something that has to be done right now to make the necessary adjustments in our finances," said Feild.

Yarbrough says public safety, in any fashion, should not be disturbed.

"I believe firmly that we need officers out there on the streets patrolling. There's always a need for that. So I would not want the public safety department in any way, shape or form to suffer," said Yarbrough.

He'll have to wait and what the future holds.

Feild says he is looking into other costs cutting measures so layoffs like this won't happen again.

 

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