- County officials address budget cuts in Eaton County.
- Another possible cut is a 30 percent reduction to community mental health services in Eaton County.
- Watch the video below for the full story.
WATCH THE FULL STORY HERE
I've reported how Eaton County officials said budget cuts were coming, whether the public safety millage passed or failed. Since it failed a few weeks ago, we're now learning more about what those cuts might look like. Here's what I learned at a special County Board meeting.
Eaton County officials are talking about cuts to multiple departments in Eaton County. Officials said Friday that Barry Eaton District Health Department will be cut by 25 percent and could be more.
"The Barry Eaton Health Department will have to look at their services as well, it's going to be impacted because lack of funding," Eaton County Chairperson Jim Mott said.
Eaton County Board of Commissioners Chairperson Jim Mott tells me that with this cut to the health department, neighbors will have to find other resources that Barry Eaton Health can no longer provide this coming fall. Mott says the conversation telling employees will be the toughest part.
"It's really tough, were not talking about just money, were talking about people, when you have to tell them you no longer work here," Mott said.
The county faces a budget deficit and has twice asked voters for more tax money, both last November and in early May. Each failed at the ballot box. The current budget year ends in September, so county leaders are making cuts to try to bring expenses in line with the money they take in.
Another possible cut is a 30 percent reduction to community mental health services in Eaton County, and United Way could see 75 percent cuts for its services. Eaton County Communications Director Logan Bailey says this agency will have a chance to try to limit some of the cuts.
"To change the decision they and today, external agencies are going to have to come to the Board, departments are going to come to the Board and say, 'You can't cut me that much, you can't cut me at all,'" Eaton County Communications Director Logan Bailey said.
However, Mott says the county will continue to explore options to balance its decisions moving forward.
"We're just focused on trying to balance our budget, and make the county run as efficiently as possible, with the funds we have," Mott said.
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