Colorado County Mulling Layoffs

Routt County, Colorado commissioners are considering layoffs to help with a $4.9 million budget shortfall.

The county has the equivalent of about 285 full-time positions. Eliminating 19 positions would reduce county personnel expenses by about $700,000.

The commissioners say managers must decide by May 15th which positions to eliminate. Layoffs would start as early as July.

The county is considering possible furloughs and reviewing department budgets.

Routt County is the 15th largest of the 64 counties of Colorado. The county population was 19,690 in 2000. The county seat is Steamboat Springs.