Politics & Government

Camden County Lays Off Roughly 260 Workers

The county faces a $41 million budget shortfall.

Monday was the last day of work for roughly 260 Camden County employees. 

The bulk of them were laid off, and a handful retired as the county tries to close a $41 million budget shortfall. 

"It's all taxpayer dollars involved here, and there's just  no money to pay for this stuff," said county spokeswoman Joyce Gabriel. 

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The layoffs represent about 15 percent of the county's workforce of 1,750. That number does not include employees at county agencies such as Camden County College or the public library system. 

A list of how many employees were laid off in each department was not available Monday, Gabriel said. 

Find out what's happening in Haddonfield-Haddon Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

However, Gabriel told The Courier-Post last week that the specifics of the layoffs were essentially the same as those outlined in a plan submitted to the state Civil Service Commission in January.

That plan outlined the following cuts, the paper reported: three from administration, 26 from public safety and juvenile justice, 67 from buildings and operations, 59 from corrections, two each from public affairs and education, one from finance, 77 from health and human services, six from parks, eight from public works and 10 from the county clerk's office.

Karl Walko, president of Camden County Council 10, the union representing the laid off workers, could not immediately be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office has notified 60 of its employees of potential layoffs, but Gabriel said the prosecutor would not make a final decision until May 3.  

As part of a cost-saving plan, the Camden County Store at the Cherry Hill Mall closed Monday and six staffer there were laid off, Gabriel said. The store served as satellite office of the county clerk, and provided services such as passports. A similar office at the South County Branch of the Camden County Library System in Winslow also closed Monday, and two county workers there were laid off. 

The county store at Voorhees Town Center will remain open, according to Gabriel. 

County freeholders will introduce a budget in late spring, and are looking at ways to consolidate or regionalize some operations to save money while continuing to provide services to residents, Gabriel said. 


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