Lack of Funding Puts Jobs on the Line in Tulare County | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Tulare, CA Nineteen Tulare County jobs will be on the line at the Supervisors' meeting on Tuesday. Supervisor Chairman Phil Cox says a lack of federal funding will likely force the county to cut those who make meals for the senior Meals on Wheels program.

Phil Cox said, "We're looking at all cooks and people that prepare the food so I believe there are 8 positions that will actually be eliminated."

Cox says instead of cooking the food in house, the county will outsource all meals from a company in Fresno. Two people will be hired part-time to administer the new program.

Tulare County will stop preparing senior meals by May 1st.

Tuesday's agenda also proposes cutting 11 jobs in the county's building permit department. Officials say fewer people are building new homes and other construction which means less money coming into the office. Roger Hunt with the Resource Management Agency said, "Last year we had over 4,000 building permits and this year we're looking at under 3,000 so it's pretty significant."

Hunt says that during the housing boom, the county used different workers to do code compliance and building inspections. The declining economy has caused them to revert back to putting both duties into one job.

Hunt said, "Now, with the shrinking economy, we're having to shrink back."