Mahoning County Commissioners plan to get back to work Monday to avoid massive layoffs in the sheriff's department.
Commissioners plan to meet with Common Pleas Court judges to ask if they can move some money into the sheriff's budget. More than 100 layoff notices went out Friday to deputies and other employees in the sheriff's office.
Sheriff Randall Wellington is facing a million dollars in a budget shortfall and said he can't staff the department at the current level. Meanwhile, FOP Union leaders are calling the commissioners' leadership and fiscal responsibility into question with a recall.
"No matter who's sitting in whose seat, no matter what politician that you put in there, when there's no money, there's no money, and that's not going to make any money grow on trees," Commissioner Anthony Traficanti said. "So we're trying to work with the unions. They have worked with us in the past. The Fraternal Order of Police has been right there along with us, but I wish they would come look at the numbers and see exactly what's going on."
Traficanti said any concessions from other departments of county government will be directed to the sheriff's office to soften the blow to the budget. The layoffs are set to go into effect March 28.
