Garrett restructuring government

Action to save county about $125,000 per year
For the Cumberland Times-News
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Thu Jun 30, 2011, 10:46 PM EDT

OAKLAND — The Garrett County commissioners are reorganizing county government to assure that it will remain solvent while providing quality public services, according to County Administrator Monty Pagenhardt.

The Department of General Services personnel have been reassigned to other departments and offices within county government. The county will now have an Engineering Department to consolidate all engineering staff. County Engineer Dwight Emory has been named director of the new department.

The Department of Solid Waste and Recycling will operate independently with Dave Baker assigned as the manager. Edgar Uphold will be assigned to the Facilities and Maintenance Department as manager. All three supervisors will report to Pagenhardt. The county airport will now be under the authority of the Garrett County Roads Department. Ed Kelley will be retained as airport manager.

The Liquor Control Board will be placed under the authority of the Department of Planning and Land Development-Licensing and I-spection Division.

The commissioners continue to evaluate all areas of government to assure that the expenditure of public funds is appropriated in a manner that will provide public service in an affordable system, according to Pagenhardt.

“Over the past two fiscal years the county has reduced total employment by 20 employees,” Pagenhardt said in a news release. “The restructuring and realignment of services that will be put in place will result in an additional decrease of three positions and generate a cost savings of more than $125,000 per year. All 23 positions were the result of employee retirement or resignation. The total cost savings is approximately $1.4 million.”

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