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Local federal workforce cuts worry Wenatchee retirees, residents
Summary
Former and current federal employees told the Wenatchee City Council that recent federal reduction-in-force actions and freezes on funds are already disrupting local forest services, agricultural research and recreation, and they urged the council to press state and federal officials to restore funding and consult local authorities.
Several retired and current federal employees urged the Wenatchee City Council on May 15 to seek urgent action from state and federal officials after recent reduction-in-force steps and hiring freezes at USDA and Interior agencies that they said are harming local services and the regional economy.
The comments came during the public comment portion of the regular council meeting, when residents described staff cuts at the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) tree-fruit lab and other federal offices that serve North Central Washington.
"At this point, I'm sure you know, '38 employees of the Wenatchee National Forest were terminated. BLM lost a person. NRCS lost a person," said Russ Truman, who identified himself as a resident of East Wenatchee and a retired…
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