BY ERIC MANN, Decatur Daily Democrat
A hiring freeze in all Adams County departments was instituted Tuesday by the county commissioners as a move to keep expenses lower in the current poor economic climate.
The commissioners also told all department heads to maintain "minimal use of overtime, travel, and other discretionary expenditures," according to a letter that will be sent to all department chiefs by County Attorney Mark Burry, acting at the request of the commissioners.
The hiring freeze, which will remain in effect until further notice, means not only that no new people can be added to those now on the job, but that a vacancy cannot be filled if someone leaves a job.
However, says Burry's letter, the commissioners reserve the right to make exceptions if a department leader makes a specific request to them and to the county council.
At Monday's meeting, Commissioners Doug Bauman, Kim Fruechte, and Ed Coil made clear that they are acting in concert with the wishes expressed last week by the members of the county council in regard to keeping county expenses as low as possible.
Burry's letter goes on to say, "These cuts are due to shrinking [tax] collections, property tax caps, and loss of miscellaneous revenues to the county which are now unfolding in larger-than-expected sums.
"Although this is not a crisis situation and we do not believe it will be permanent, the commissioners and council want to take steps now to make as many cuts as possible in anticipation of difficult budget years in 2010 and 2011, in hopes that action now will avoid having to take more drastic and dramatic action at a later time."