On the heels of layoff announcements at area sawmills and other industries, the Clarke County Commission announced Tuesday that it will cut its 36- person road and bridge department by 15 employees.

The move, talked about for a long time now, will save the county approximately $625,000 in payroll expenses.

The department has an annual budget of $2.2 million but has long operated in the red. The current deficit is more than $400,000.

Reading from a prepared statement, Commission Chairman Elma Averett said, "Our plans are to slow this deficit down, reduce the debt and ultimately turn the deficit around. We are looking at approximately one year to determine if we can begin to recall employees."

The statement noted that the department is funded through earmarked funds that include a Seven-Cent Gas Tax distributed by the state. It averages about $800,000 annually for the county and has remained at this average for about 20 years even though expenses have continued to rise. The department also receives funds from a 2-mill county ad valorem tax that averages about $500,000 annually.

Commissioner Rhondel Rhone noted that the county spent more than $250,000 the past year for fuel. Even though fuel prices have increased for consumers, the county's share of the 7-centa gallon tax has remained constant and may even have declined because of people buying less gas, he observed.

County Attorney Bruce Wilson observed that the layoffs will be perceived as caused by the downturn in the economy but in reality, the problem has been there for years with the county putting "Band Aids on it" by shifting money from other funds to cover the deficits. Late last year then-County Engineer Sam Noble offered a plan for selling the department's financed motor graders early as a means of raising money to fund the deficit. Commissioner Averett said Tuesday that it was decided not to do that and to go with the layoffs instead.

When a spectator asked County Engineer Danny Overton if he could maintain the county's roads with 15 less people he answered, "We are going to do the best we can."

When asked, Overton said the county operates 10 dump trucks and eight motor graders.

When Averett called for a motion there was a long silence before Commissioner Karen Bradford quietly said that she would make that motion "regretfully." Commissioner Rhone seconded it. Bradford, Rhone, Averett and Commissioner Tyrone Moye voted for the motion with Commissioner Patricia DuBose voting no. She said she believed broader layoffs or cutbacks could be made without impacting the road department so adversely. Averett countered, however, that it was the department with the biggest deficit.

The names of the 15 individuals were not announced but they will be the last 15 hired into the department. The prepared statement said the county would take steps to ensure that their rights and benefits are protected. Once that is done they will be notified of the actual date of their layoffs.

The statement read by Averett concluded, "Again, we regret having to move in this direction at a time when the economy is in a decline but with limited resources available to us, we have had to face this responsibility."

In another matter relating to the road department, the commissioners agreed to advertise to fill the vacant assistant county engineer's position. Overton had been assistant engineer until he stepped up to replace Sam Noble who retired at the end of the year.

When questioned, it was explained that the state picks up part of the salaries of the engineer and assistant