Cowlitz County commissioners agreed Tuesday to lay off 25 workers and leave another 17 jobs vacant as part of $4.5 million in budget cuts that they said were harder than anyone imagined.

One commissioner said the job losses would have been less severe if county unions had gone along with pay cut requests.

“When we started this process about a month ago, we said it would be difficult, onerous, gut-wrenching and contentious,” Commissioner George Raiter said before formally accepting proposed cuts from managers to balance the budget. “I think we underestimated it.”

In addition to job cuts, all non-union employees — including all department heads — took a mandatory 5 percent cut in either pay or benefits. All of the county’s elected officials — including commissioners — also took either 5 percent or 10 percent pay or benefit cuts except for two: Superior Court Judges James Warme and Stephen Warning.

The county’s employee unions were asked to take the same 5 percent pay cut, but all 10 bargaining units voted that proposal down.

Commissioner Axel Swanson lamented that decision Tuesday, saying that while he supports union labor, the union vote led to more layoffs.

“I think we could have saved 12 to 15 more jobs if we had all done with a little less,” Swanson said. “These are real folks losing their paychecks.”

Union workers at staff meetings with commissioners said they feared agreeing to salary cuts without knowing if jobs or hours within their departments still would be cut. They also asked for more flexibility in how to apply the cuts.

Swanson on Tuesday acknowledged the process was confusing at times as everyone worked to find the best way to save as many jobs as possible.

Commissioner Kathleen Johnson praised all the county managers and workers who worked to keep layoffs to a minimum. Originally, she said, the county was looking at laying off 90 workers to make up the shortfall.

Thirty-six employees agreed to voluntarily reduce medical benefits or payments to help with the budget cuts; 88 took voluntary furlough days and one reduced work hours. Some employees did more than one option, said Finance Director Claire Hauge.

Employees losing their jobs had already been told by their managers but on Tuesday received official notification packets from the county. Most layoffs become effective May 1.

Commissioners did not formally vote to accept the cuts Tuesday. But they did give tacit approval by directing the finance office to draw up an amended budget that implements all of the proposed cost savings except for a still-disputed move to cut the popular Drug Court program.

A public hearing and vote on the amended budget is planned for 10 a.m. May 5.

General Fund Cuts

Jobs cut or eliminated by Cowlitz County mangers to help cut $4.5 million from the 2009 general fund budget, with savings.

Auditor: account clerk left vacant. $39,729.

Corrections: three corrections officers left vacant; clerk, food service manager, pre-trial release officer and work crew lead laid off. $353,068.

Clerk: two clerks laid off. $70,944.

Community Planning and Development: one planning technician, one long-range planner and one lead code technician (part time) left vacant. $135,966.

Drug Court: coordinator and part time case assistant laid off. $59,350.*

Facilities: two maintenance mechanics laid off and project coordinator reduced to part time. $111,730.

Family Court: part-time secretary laid off. $23,649.

Juvenile Detention: manager and officer positions left vacant. $128,040.

Parks and Recreation: park ranger laid off three months earlier than planned. No general fund savings.

Prosecuting Attorney: legal secretary transferred to another program, part-time victim witness coordinator position left vacant. $49,033.

Sheriff: Seven courthouse security staff laid off. $246,547.

Superior Court: court commissioner laid off. $58,578.

911 Communications: supervisor position left vacant. $72,693.

Building and Planning: two code technicians laid off; environmental health specialist, permit specialist, part-time lead code technical and associate planner positions left vacant. $312,846.

Central Services: manager laid off. Savings information not available.

Expo Center: event worker position left vacant. $5,767.

Health and Human Services: deputy health director laid off, nurse position left vacant. $105,795.

Total: 25 workers laid off, 17 positions left vacant and one employee transferred. $1.77 million saved in salary and benefits.

* County commissioners say this cut has not been finalized yet and may be swapped for other courts cuts.

Related articles:

Commissioners say they'll try to save Drug Court

County to lay off dozens, close Drug Court diversion program  (April 20)

Sheriff's office, court-related departments still have some cutting to do  (April 14)

Commissioners try to clear up confusion over their own pay cut  (April 10)

County government's union OKs voluntary furloughs, benefit reductions  (April 8)

Commissioners hear more questions than answers regarding budget  (March 18)