Macon-Bibb to save at least $7.7 million from retirements

Macon-Bibb County leaders are projecting to save a few million dollars more than they originally expected from a retirement incentive plan offered this year.

Originally, county officials hoped to eliminate 93 positions for a savings of about $5 million. But by the July 31 deadline, 235 of 400 eligible employees had accepted a retirement package.

If none of those jobs were replaced, the county would save $13.1 million, officials said Tuesday. But they acknowledged that some of the positions would need to be filled to keep the government running efficiently.

According to County Manager Dale Walker’s report to commissioners, the county may need to fill 40 percent of those jobs. Even so, the county would still see a savings of $7.7 million, which is $2.7 million more than the original goal.

“The replacements will likely be at a lower salary as they are new to the position,” Walker said in the report.

County leaders will meet with department heads in the upcoming months, including Sheriff David Davis and Fire Chief Marvin Riggins to determine how to replace 107 public safety employees who accepted retirements from their departments.

“It’s what we’ve been doing since consolidation and taking a purposeful look at what positions we’ll hire,” Macon-Bibb spokesman Chris Floore said.

The local government also will decide how to deal with the holes left by high-ranking employees who have accepted retirements, resigned or left for another job in the past few months.

They include an assistant county manager and directors of the Information Technology, Emergency Management Agency, Animal Welfare, Facilities Management, Public Works, E-911 and Recreation departments.

The final retirement numbers were released Tuesday, because employees had seven days to change their minds before their retirements could be approved by county commissioners.

To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623 or find him on Twitter@stan_telegraph.

This story was originally published August 11, 2015 at 10:46 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb to save at least $7.7 million from retirements ."