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Athens County approves seven DJFS layoffs amid budget, caseload pressures
Summary
Following an executive session, commissioners approved seven layoffs at the county Department of Job and Family Services, citing federal, state and local budget constraints; Director Jean Demosky urged data review to validate a reported large drop in local poverty rates before policy changes.
The Athens County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Dec. 16 to approve seven layoffs at the Department of Job and Family Services tied to organizational changes and budget pressures.
Director Jean Demosky briefed the board earlier in the meeting on several operational issues, including statewide discussions about SNAP administration burdens, cash‑flow improvements for IV‑D child‑support contracts, and a recommendation to move the Baum juvenile‑court legal‑services contract off Title XX to preserve flexible funds for other needs. Demosky also said the office is being "hammered" with public‑records requests, which is straining staff capacity.
Demosky reported a notable change in American Community Survey poverty estimates cited during the briefing—she said the county’s poverty rate was 27.9% in 2020 and estimated to be about 22.1% in 2023—but she and the commissioners agreed the commissioners want staff to validate the drivers of that apparent decline (changes in Ohio University residency, population shifts, or data lag effects) before making programmatic decisions tied to the figures. No specific timeline for the layoffs was provided in the public briefing; the board approved the layoffs after executive session by roll call.
The board’s action was procedural and did not include an accompanying vote to shift specific contract funding sources at the Dec. 16 meeting; commissioners requested follow‑up information on funding options and a further breakdown of the poverty estimate drivers.
