Despite a pressing need to trim $400,000 for the moment &045; and $800,000 next year &045; from the $32 million county budget, department heads assert their staffs and budgets have already been stretched to cover essential services.

A special county-citizen committee formed to overcome an anticipated state aid reduction listened to 10 county directors over four hours Thursday.

Though some committee members are eager to step into a fundamental and permanent solution, including the elimination of programs and positions or reorganization, the directors were reluctant to name areas where they can possibly carry out such drastic measures.

Most of the offers presented in the meeting included temporary freezes on employee training or equipment purchases, which the officials regard as the only solution to meet the end without hurting current services or staff sizes.

A hard part is that many programs are mandated and funded, either in part or fully, by the state or federal government, which means dismantling them would be impossible or wouldn’t bring immediate savings for the county. Also, many departments are already operating with less staff than they need.

Veteran’s Service Officer Ron Rhiger, for example, has kept his assistant’s position vacant since last year, forcing him to abandon unused vacation days. The 2003 budget reflects the savings, with the department’s budget shrinking by 30 percent.

The situation is similar for Public Health Director Lois Ahern, Sheriff Mark Harig and others.

In the public health department, on top of one certified nurse position that has not been filled since last year, another nurse has just decided to resign.

The sheriff’s office is short one investigator. In addition, one deputy has been assigned to the South Central Drug Investigative Unit, and another will have to leave for military duty later this year. The jail is also understaffed.

Harig pointed out his staff is already inundated with multiple assignments, and the county would end up spending more money on overtime if more staff were cut.

Extension Director Pat Stumme was the only one who proposed a staff reduction, which would be accomplished by merging one office support position with a similar position in the Public Health Department, making her department’s share one half.

Another concrete cut, though it would be temporary solution, was tendered for park services.

Highway Department Director Sue Miller suggested that $100,000 for planned improvement projects could be replaced with divided investments on a designated fund.

County Administrator Ron Gabrielsen presented a much more radical method &045; selling three county parks: St. Nicolas Park on Albert Lea Lake, White Woods Park on Lower Twin Lake and Arrowhead Park on Freeborn Lake. The 200 acres of land could generate more than $800,000, according to the assessor’s office estimate.

Gabrielsen also indicated the conversion of the fairgrounds, including the Historical Museum, as residential blocks would bring in more than $1 million.

The committee will continue the hearings with the department heads on Monday and Thursday next week.