EVERETT — Three Snohomish County human services workers have been told their jobs are gone, and more face job loss, officials said Friday.
The trio, who handled the county’s veterans’ affairs, mental health division and senior citizens’ issues, all were given pink slips Thursday, hours after Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon recommended staff cuts throughout the county government.
The three layoffs in the county’s Human Services Department were not related to Reardon’s proposed 2009-2010 budget, said Christopher Schwarzen, Reardon’s spokesman.
Ken Stark, appointed by Reardon last month to lead the Human Services Department, is cutting positions for the sake of efficiency, Schwarzen said. Stark plans to cut more people in the coming months, but how many is now unclear, he said.
Reardon’s proposed budget also recommends that the department cut 23 positions, in addition to whatever cuts Stark makes.
All three employees were division managers. Two of the three were asked to leave immediately. The third, the person who handles case management, including senior citizen issues, can stay until the end of the year, Schwarzen said.
Reporter Krista J. Kapralos 425-339-3422 or kkapralos@heraldnet.com.
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