Coos County trims budget gap with layoffs, job reassignments and a late job-description approval

The Coos County Board of Commissioners described a $1.8 million budget shortfall and approved personnel moves intended to close the gap while minimizing layoffs.

County officials told the board the deficit was addressed in three ways: using near-term surpluses from Parks and Solid Waste (approximately $600,000), applying one-time revenue sources (about $600,000, including interest on unspent ARPA funds), and eliminating roughly $600,000 in personnel costs. To reach the personnel savings target, the county identified six positions to eliminate or change; ultimately five positions were reduced and two employees were laid off while three staff were reassigned to other county roles.

As part of the personnel actions the board approved a late job description for a road office assistant position (pay grade 7-83, step 3) and approved transferring an existing survey office manager, Tamara Smith, into that role effective May 12, 2025. The change is structured so the roads department will absorb roughly 90% of the position cost and the survey office about 10%, which county staff said reduces the general-fund burden.

Commissioners said several departments had already tightened nonpersonnel budgets and that staff reassignments—such as moving juvenile functions into community corrections and sharing administrative support between survey and roads—helped avoid deeper cuts. The board approved the job description and the transfer by motion and vote.

Ending: Commissioners indicated they will continue working to find additional savings for the next budget year and monitor effects of the personnel changes.