Five more county government positions are being cut as Howard?s print shop is closing next year in a push to save money in tight budget times.
“This is symbolic of the efforts we have undertaken to ask questions” about the county government?s efficiencies, County Executive Ken Ulman said.
The print shop, which includes seven positions, provides large-volume copying and large-format printing for Planning and Zoning documents, among other duties, said Ira Levy, director of the Department of Technology and Communication Services.
Many departments rely on outside printers, such as Office Depot and Staples, making the county-run operation unnecessary.
Thousands of forms and internal documents once printed out also will be eliminated in favor of electronic forms, further reducing printing needs, Levy said.
Some of the county?s print operations will be absorbed into other departments, such as Planning and Zoning, and departments will work more with vendors for their printing jobs, he said.
One position is being transferred to Planning and Zoning.
The cuts, effective June 30, are expected to save at least $600,000, and the county won?t have to invest in upgrading the printing equipment, he said.
The county?s Human Resources Office is working closely with the five people whose jobs were eliminated, and likely most of them will find opportunities elsewhere in county government, such as in the records management division, Levy said.
“I do think obviously it?s pretty serious any time someone has been told their position is [being eliminated],” he said.
The cuts come about two months after eight people were told their jobs will be eliminated with the closing of GTV, the county government television station. The station will be consolidated into Howard Community College?s station, saving about $500,000.
“These are tough decisions, but we have a slowing economy and we have state [funding] cuts,” Ulman said.
“We did feel this is something that made a lot of sense without major cuts to services.”
Ulman said there wouldn?t be “widespread” job cuts but that county officials will continue to look for ways to be more efficient.
Print shop employee Douglas Hargett declined to discuss the cuts.
