COQUILLE — Coos County department managers are scrambling to make adjustments to their budgets after Gov. Ted Kulongoski ordered cuts throughout the state this year.

That will equate to a $154,000 loss for Coos County Community Corrections.

The state order is putting the squeeze on already tight budgets in county departments. Some may have to rearrange personnel, while others will cut positions or hours. No cuts have been finalized, but department managers met with the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday to outline possibilities.

The correction’s cut likely will affect spending on the department’s portion of the jail. Director Roy Wright said the state Legislature must approve any cuts to community corrections, but the department has been asked to reduce its budget 10 to 15 percent.

Depending on how the state figures the cut, the department could lose $38,000, based on 10 percent of the last six months of the budget year, or $154,000 based on a 10 percent cut of the entire biennium budget.

Wright said the losses will run even deeper in the state’s 2009-11 budget.

“We, personally are planning worst case at 30 percent,” Wright wrote in an e-mail to Commissioner Kevin Stufflebean.

That would total $461,257 over the next biennium.

The Coos County Planning Department is looking at an almost $43,000 deficit in its budget.

Administrative Planner Jill Barzee’s scenario to cut office days to four days per week met with some resistance from Stufflebean.

“If you don’t do that, we would probably have to go back and cut two and a half positions,” she said.

Commissioner Nikki Whitty said she would be willing to look at a 32-hour work week for all employees and arranging the schedule to have the office open five days a week.

Cutting employee hours wouldn’t solve the department’s cash flow shortage. The department charges fees after work is done, creating a gap between when work is performed and when payments come in. That gap, combined with a downturn in planning work altogether, has the department running short of money to make payroll for December.

The commissioners approved a motion to loan the department money to cover payroll. County Treasurer Mary Barton said that would amount to $35,000, in addition to a $53,000 loan approved in September that has not been repaid.

Not all departments are looking at major cuts. Coos County Juvenile Department Acting Director Bryan Baird presented an outline of staffing changes that will be within the department’s budget.

“These changes won’t cost the county any additional money,” Baird said.

He wants to fill two juvenile court counseling positions and a data clerk position; reclassify the legal secretary, leave a second legal secretary position vacant; and hire a detention supervisor.

Baird said the department will save money when hiring counselors because they will be paid a lower salary than those leaving. Consolidating the legal secretary positions will save part of a salary and benefits.

Commissioner John Griffith noted department managers estimated losing only $2,245 in juvenile crime prevention funding. He said he had reservations about approving the job shuffling because some people might have to be let go later if that project proved to be short.

“How sure do you feel that won’t be more?” he asked.

Stufflebean said that the Oregon Youth Authority has been going through a reorganization and it’s saved money.

“They aren’t having to make the same cuts,” he said.

The board approved the motion for the hiring and staffing changes.

Known cuts to other departments include Coos County Mental Health Department, $49,000; and the Coos County Veterans Services, $625.