THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 31, 1994 TAG: 9408010227
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
RICHMOND - As the Allen administration continues its cost-cutting purge of the state's payroll, agencies and departments issued layoff notices to dozens of workers and eliminated more than 100 positions.
Michael E. Thomas, secretary of administration, said Friday he did not know how many employees received notices last week because the layoffs were being handled at the agency and department level.
A full accounting will be given Aug. 22 to the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance Committee at a joint meeting in Richmond, he said.
But a story published Saturday in the Richmond Times-Dispatch provided job loss figures for several agencies, including 61 positions at the Department of Corrections, 44 in the Richmond office of the Department of Motor Vehicles and 21 at the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, including the entire printing department.
Most of the laid-off employees work at the central offices of agencies in Richmond.
``The reason George Allen was elected was to reduce the size and scope of state government,'' said Ken Stroupe, Allen's press secretary. ``The only way to do that is to reduce the number of positions in state government.''
The governor has left it to the agency and department heads to determine which positions to abolish, Stroupe said.
The administration also has created a ``talent bank'' in the Department of Personnel and Training, he said. Laid-off workers can place their names in the bank to be considered when new jobs become available.
Most of the workers were given two weeks' notice. The firings will take effect Aug. 10.
Democrats have criticized the purge as an effort by the new Republican administration to make room for political supporters. They also said the layoffs have created severe morale problems in state government. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
LAYOFFS
Department of Corrections: Director Ron Angelone said 18 of the
61 positions abolished were vacant.
ABC Department: Chairman Catherine Giardano said all 21 positions
eliminated were filled, so most of the employees will lose their
jobs.
Health Department: Dr. Donald Stern, acting commissioner, said 17
positions were eliminated. Six were either vacant or the people in
them are retiring, he said.
Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation: Director
Ray Allen said two positions, deputy for regulatory programs and
policy analyst/public relations, were eliminated.
Department of Motor Vehicles: Spokeswoman Jeannie Chenault said
44 positions were being eliminated in the central office, which has
about 1,000 employees in the Richmond area.
Department of Conservation and Recreation: Spokesman Gary Waugh
said Dennis R. Baker of Bon Air was retired as the director of the
state's parks. The position of Donald L. Wells, a deputy director,
was also abolished.
by CNB