Furloughs Ahead of NH Co. Employees

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – New Hanover County Commissioners Monday approved county staff furloughs and voluntary retirement offers to trim costs before the end of the fiscal year.

County staff will take at least 40 hours of unpaid leave by June 15th, non-emergency operations will close down for two days this spring, and the county will offer a voluntary retirement plan.

Commissioners pledged these cuts would not impact public health and safety. New Hanover County Board Chair Ted Davis says it was painful to vote on the issue at the same meeting as welcoming new employees and honoring others for ten, 15, 20 years of service.

"It's almost like playing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or Scrooge and Santa Clause where are personalities that I have every budget session I have to go through each year."

Davis says New Hanover County is looking at $3 million shortfall going into the new budget session.

County Helps Southeastern Center


Also Monday, New Hanover County Commissioners voted to give back $2 million to the Southeastern Center for Mental Health.

The money was set aside for the center to build a new building. But there's an option in the center's contract with the county for Southeastern to get back its $5 million if a building is not under construction by June of this year.

Southeastern says there's not enough money right now for the new building and it needs $2 million returned to cover cost until the end of its fiscal year.

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