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County Board Member Threatens Layoffs
A member of the Knox County Board says the county's landfill and its seemingly limitless bank account apparently does have its limits.

District-1 Republican Allen Pickrel told the board Wednesday night the county is continuing to use the landfill as a bank -- borrowing money from it to cover the money the state just isn't paying.

Pickrel tells WGIL the landfill reserves are depleting, and something is going to have to be done if that keeps up.

"I think that this county is probably going to have to, unfortunately, in the very, very near future, if the state doesn't straighten around -- which we don't see happening -- the word 'layoff' is probably going to have to come out throughout the county," Pickrel said. "That's unfortunate, but it is reality also."

Pickrel says there was $600,000s taken out of the landfill fund last month, almost a third of which was used to meet payroll.

County Board Chair Greg Bacon tells WGIL he's been wondering the same thing.

"I hope not, but I mean, that's always on the table," Bacon said. "Other counties have done layoffs and furlough days and stuff to that effect. Right now, I can't say we're okay, but we're not in the shape that everybody else is in."

County Board Chair Greg Bacon says the state owes Knox County $850,000, and there's still no telling as to when that will be paid.

The county will have to repay the landfill fund at some point, but Pickrel refers to it as "a zero-interest loan."
04 29 10 by Newsroom
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