BREAKING NEWS: 'Tough decisions' leave three Walton County supervisors without jobs

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS — In a countywide reorganization caused by budget constraints and an economy still in malaise, two high-ranking officials Walton were laid off Wednesday while Planning Director Pat Blackshear announced her retirement.

Blackshear announced she would retire March 1. But county spokesman Chris Mitchell said she has enough medical leave and vacation time accumulated that her last day was Wednesday.

Her responsibilities will be absorbed by other staff, he said.

Meanwhile, Ed Baltzley, Walton County emergency response division director, and Eddie Rivers, the county’s fire rescue chief, were laid off Wednesday as part of the “reduction in force,” Human Resources Coordinator Lynda Robinson confirmed.

Matt Douglass, formerly the deputy director of emergency response, was named interim director.

There are no plans to replace Rivers, Robinson said.

“The position has been done away with,” she added. “His responsibilities will be taken over by Mr. Douglass.”

Johnny Padgett, formerly assistant chief and fire marshal with Walton County Fire Rescue, accepted a demotion and will now become a firefighter/ paramedic.

In a news release issued late Thursday afternoon, Lyle Seigler, the interim county administrator, said that budget constraints caused by the slumping economy have caused county leaders “to find ways to provide services … within a shrinking budget.”

At the Oct. 13 County Commission meeting, he told the board that he and the human resources department had been looking at ways to better utilize personnel and possibly share services among different agencies to increase efficiency.

That work is expected to continue.

A review of the organizational structure within the county thus far has revealed “areas within each division that can be improved by the elimination of positions or reassignments,” the release said.

“We’ve made some tough decisions in an effort to provide county citizens with a high quality of service,” Seigler said in the release. “All of the changes we are making are designed to help the county through this unprecedented economic time and to prepare our county and citizens for a better future.”

Commission Chairwoman Sara Comander was on the verge of tears while discussing the layoffs and Blackshear’s retirement.

“We appreciate their service so much, but our responsibility is to look out for our taxpayers’ dollars and do the best we can,” she said. “We deeply appreciate everything they’ve done for us.”

Comander also said results from more than 500 upcoming value-adjustment board meetings could seriously affect the county’s budget.

“I feel strongly that we’re probably going to be more impacted next year than this year,” she said.

The budget for fiscal 2010 is about $101 million.

Robinson said Baltzley began working for the county in 2001 as emergency management coordinator, but took over as director in August 2004.

Rivers was hired as Walton County Fire Rescue Chief in May 2005.

Blackshear also began her duties in May 2005.