The Coos County jail and other facilities and programs in the county are the focus of budget cuts being considered by the Coos County Board of Commissioners. Cost-cutting proposals are being examined because of the failure of Congress to renew federal timber payments. World Photo by Madeline Steege

Heads are beginning to roll.

Nineteen employees at the Coos County Sheriff's Office have been given notice they need not show up for work beginning Feb. 27.

Meanwhile, three juvenile department workers and a clerk in the Assessor's Office were sent packing last week with no notice.

And there are expectations that there will be more bad news delivered within the coming week. County employees are nervous, and wondering if the next wave of layoffs will lay waste to their departments.

The personnel cuts are the result of a $7 million shortfall in the county's upcoming budget due to the expiration of a six-year-long federal timber subsidy. The shortage has reduced the county's general fund dollars by nearly 50 percent, and compelled the Coos County Board of Commissioners to begin layoffs to afford paying unemployment, sick and vacation pay.

The threat of layoffs became a reality on Jan. 26 for 19 probationary Sheriff's Office employees - about 17 percent of the office - who had been on the job for less than 18 months. According to Sgt. Dave Hermann, the president of the Coos Association of Deputy Sheriffs, the union that represents 111 of the sheriff's 117 employees, most of the 19 notices were hand-delivered by Hermann, Capt. Dave McDaniel and Sheriff Andy Jackson.

“I just considered that I owed them at least that much,” Jackson said of making the decision to notify his newest recruits in person.

For the most part, Jackson said, the employees, 14 of whom work in the Coos County jail, weren't surprised.

“We had a staff meeting explaining what was probably going to happen,” Jackson said. “I tried to keep them all informed so they wouldn't get caught flat-footed.”

Along with the corrections deputies, two patrol deputies, one 911 dispatcher and two animal control officers were notified that Feb. 27 will be their last day. Hermann agreed with Jackson's characterization of the employees' acceptance of the news.

“They knew they were near the bottom of the seniority list,” Hermann said. “There were some that weren't exactly thrilled about it.”

The upheaval caused by the layoffs likely will be followed by further turmoil, Hermann said, since employees with tenure who are being laid off, can move into positions staffed by less experienced personnel - a union policy known as “bumping.” In at least one case, Hermann said, a position currently held by a seven-year veteran is being eliminated.

The restructuring will stir up great animosity at the Sheriff's Office, Hermann surmised, and has cast a shadow over the administrators who have struggled mightily to bolster ranks over the last decade. The Sheriff's Office pays less compared to other law enforcement agencies across the state, and had only just recently turned the corner on recruiting, nearing full strength.

“We have worked so hard to recruit,” Hermann said. “It's just like a kick in the head. ‘Thanks for coming and oh, by the way, goodbye.'”

The job of delivering the bad news to fresh recruits wasn't pleasant for the messengers.

“It killed us,” Hermann said.

More layoff notices likely will be issued to Sheriff's Office employees this week, Hermann said.

Last week, the commissioners approved a preliminary reduction plan that called for the elimination of about 40 Sheriff's Office positions - including a controversial move that caused Jackson to threaten to bring a lawsuit against the commissioners for voting to eliminate the position held by McDaniel, the sheriff's top man.

About six of the positions in the Sheriff's Office slated for elimination currently are not staffed.

Hermann said he wonders how the bleak outlook for the office - promises of increased workloads and fewer deputies to back one another up in dangerous situations - could further diminish the ranks.

The gutting of jail staff (about 60 people work in the jail) will cause the Sheriff's Office to close half the facility. Jackson said the Sheriff's Office has presented a preliminary plan, which needs approval from the commissioners, to cap inmate levels at 98. Currently, the jail holds about 160 prisoners on any given day. The sheriff's plan will include a policy to set free some inmates to make room for more serious offenders.

David Jennings, who works in the Coos County Juvenile Department and who is a representative for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees No. 2936, which represents about 135 Coos County employees, said three probationary workers were let go in his department last week. One was a juvenile probation officer. Two others worked in the juvenile detention center.

Heather Smith, 30, of Coquille, was one of those juvenile workers. She had worked the graveyard shift as a juvenile counselor for the last 5 1/2 months. Smith, the mother of two, was retained as part time help in the juvenile division, but has lost her health benefits in the reduction.

“I'm pretty upset,” Smith said. “I think (the Coos County Board of Commissioners) jumped the gun for starting to lay people off. I didn't expect to be laid off so early. I think they should have waited. I don't believe any other counties have made such drastic decisions already.”

Coos County Forester and Land Agent Bob LaPorte said a non-union assistant forester, who had worked for the county for more than 30 years, won't be rehired at the start of the next fiscal year. The loss of the forester is a big hit for LaPorte's office of four.

“It's a quarter of my staff,” he said.

As a result, LaPorte will be heading back into the brush more himself.

Meanwhile, the County Road Department, which receives no general fund money, will lose $1.2 million of dedicated funding from timber receipts. As a result, two vacant positions won't be filled next year, but none of the 60 roadworkers will be let go.

Background: On Jan. 3, the Coos County Board of Commissioners announced that due to Congress' failure to reauthorize the timber subsidy, the county likely would lay off more than 100 of its 410 employees, from all departments, by March 1. However, the commissioners were able to find alternate ways to save money, and have targeted about 60 positions that are scheduled to be eliminated.