County layoffs, service cuts predicted

Coroner says he may have to stop doing autopsies on holidays, Sundays.

Montgomery County to trim 5 percent from budget

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By Lynn Hulsey, Staff Writer 11:47 PM Monday, April 20, 2009

DAYTON — Montgomery County’s elected officials had their fears confirmed Monday, April 20, when County Administrator Deborah Feldman laid out a plan to cut an additional 5 percent in costs.

That’s on top of the 3 percent in cuts made earlier to balance the 2009 budget, and after several years of holding jobs vacant and tightening expenditures as the county contended with flat or declining sales tax revenue.

The county faces a  $7.6 million deficit in its $157 million General Fund budget.

Feldman proposes a 2.5 percent cut in the approved 2009 budget by June 1, but because the year will be half over officials will need to reduce costs by 5 percent to meet the target.

Feldman also proposes dipping into reserves, leaving the county with what she said is the bare minimum of $27 million in reserves, enough to pay two months of bills. She also would use the last  $2.9 million in the county’s budget stabilization fund.

County commissioners are expected to vote on the proposal today and then it will be up to elected officials to decide exactly what will be cut.

“There’s a possibility we may have to stop doing autopsies on holidays and one day of the weekend, on Sunday,” said Montgomery County Coroner James Davis. “We don’t want to cut back services if we can help it.”

Montgomery County  Clerk of Courts Greg Brush sees no way to carve $109,000 out of his budget without layoffs.

Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer already cut 35 positions by attrition and job transfers and said the Feldman’s plan will cost him $800,000, which translates to about 16 positions. Plummer said he may have to cut the SWAT team and drug squad, and stop helping local jurisdictions with processing crime scenes.

“I think they should dig more into the (reserve) fund balance. I can’t afford to lose any more police on the street,” said Plummer.

Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Barbara Gorman, who presides over the General Division, said the judges will meet on the budget today.

“We have a tradition of working with the county commissioners and hopefully we can keep it that way,” she said.

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