BREAKING NEWS: Winder lays off 30, reshuffles government

A press release issued Wednesday afternoon did not list the names or titles of the affected employees. However, the cuts apparently affect some supervisors, utility workers, and employees of planning and development. Spared were employees in the police department.

Mayor George “Chip” Thompson III said public safety remains a high priority “and patrol officers were not affected by the position eliminations.”

The press release does not mention the status of employees in the fire department.

The reorganization includes “flattening the organizational structure, eliminating under-utilized assets, outsourcing, and consolidating certain services,” the press release states.

Some departmental activities will be consolidated, reducing the need for supervisory positions, and the city “also plans to outsource certain services, particularly with utility work, where demand for such services has decreased and also is seasonal.”

City Administrator Bob Beck said the actions were precipitated by the declines in two of Winder’s main sources of revenue – sales taxes and water sales revenues.

“Sales tax collections are 15-20% below what the city had conservatively projected and water consumption also fell by 20%,” Beck said. “The city’s general fund is supported primarily by these revenue streams and the severity of the downturn was unexpected.”

Mayor George “Chip” Thompson III announced the reorganization to employees on Tuesday morning. Affected employees were given a severance package that includes two weeks’ pay and a payout for earned, but unused, vacation time.

“It is our hope that these current measures are adequate and no further actions will be required,” Thompson said.

He pointed out that the city does not have a property tax and does not plan to impose one.

“Raising taxes through a property tax would make our city less attractive to businesses and families,” he said. “Pursuing such measures could make Winder less competitive for business and burden the city’s businesses and citizens needlessly.”