Date: 06-12-2016
Magistrate says, ‘things are down everythere not just in Pike County’
The Pike County Fiscal Court laid off 20 employees Tuesday in order to balance the budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
Five of the six magistrates on the court voted to approve the layoffs; Dist. 1 Magistrate Jeff Anderson voted “no.”
Court members said they regret the layoffs, but that they were necessary.
“I assure you that no one on this court wants to take this action,” said Deputy Judge-Executive Brian Morris. “But, it is necessary to comply with Kentucky law in order for the county to have a balanced budget.
Like most government entities, the county has experienced a shortfall, and increase in expenses over the past several years, which makes it all but impossible to balance the budget without some employee layoffs.”
Morris named the employees slated for layoff, a list which includes two people on the judge-executive’s staff, one in the coroner’s office, one in the finance office, and the county’s six magistrates’ administrative assistants.
In addition, five hourly employees were cut, and four seasonal mowers. Two unfilled positions in the Solid Waste Department will remain open.
The road lot in each of the county’s six magisterial districts will have five employees and one road foreman.
Magistrates called the meeting “a sad day,” stressing that the cuts had to be made.
“It really bothers me,” Dist. 2 Magistrate Vernon “Chick” Johnson said. “I hope things are going to get turned around. It’s just a sad day for Pike County. Things are down everywhere, not just Pike County … It’s just bad times.”
Dist. 3 Magistrate Leo Murphy said he struggled with the layoffs.
“This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made here,” Murphy said. It’s terrible, and I don’t like any part of it. But, what has to be, has to be. I’m just hoping and praying we can call people back to work.”
Judge-Executive Bill Deskins said he has, during his career, been laid off from jobs, so he empathizes with those employees who lost their jobs.
“I always thought I was a pretty strong man,” Deskins said. “But, when you lay off employees, with the situation the county’s in, I’m not … I’m just as unhappy as I can be to have to do that because I’ve been laid off a time or two, and I know how it feels. We did what we have to do. I just hate to do this, but I have to.”
By Julia Roberts
Appalachian News-Express
