WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — The Mingo County Commission made personnel moves Thursday impacting five county workers in the face of falling coal tax revenues.
The commission eliminated the jobs of fiduciary supervisor and recreation director along with cutting the duties of a county clerk employee and reducing two full-time maintenance employees to part-time without benefits.
The decisions were difficult to make, Mingo County Commission President Greg “Hootie” Smith said.
“When you have to look at a person that has done a good job, that has done everything you have asked them to do, that has families to support and you have to tell them that you can’t afford to keep them employed anymore it is very difficult situation,” Smith said in a story posted by the Wiliamson Daily News.
The cuts will take effect Sept. 1.
The commission also made other moves it hopes will save the county money. It decided to end its agreement with he City of Williamson to rent 16 parking spaces a month. The rent had doubled in recent months. The decision is expected to save the county about $10,000 a year. Commissioners also decided on a trial basis to see how much money could be saved by eliminating sheriff’s deputies driving their cruisers home. The commission will review the move in early October to see how much money it saved.
The commission recently took $250,000 out of its $500,000 Rainy Day Fund to pay bills.
Williamson Daily News Reporter Courtney Harrison contributed to this report.