City of Wilmington Axes 20 Workers

A budget shortfall has forced the city of Wilmington, Ohio to eliminate 20 jobs. Mayor David Raizk said the job cuts include four full-time firefighters and 11 part-time employees.

In addition to the layoffs, members of the City Council agreed to a 10 percent pay cut and the city also launched a voluntary furlough program to help erase the deficit.

“We have worked exhaustively to find revenue and cost-cutting measures, but since approximately 80 percent of our budget is personnel, we have to make some tough, heartbreaking decisions,” Raizk said in a news release.

According to WLWT.com, the layoffs have cut the city’s firefighting staff in half. Raizk asserts public safety will not be at risk because “not only has our revenue diminished, but also the demand for our services, including safety services.”

According to local reports, Wilmington was badly hurt by the closure of the DHL Air Park, which resulted in 8,000 workers losing their jobs.