By WUKY Staff
Lexington, KY – Three Civil Service Employees who will be officially laid off from their city jobs after tomorrow picketed outside the government center earlier today.
Bob Owlsey is a Division of Parks and Recreation Employee and the director of the Dunbar Community Center.
"In other words, I'm the last one in, so I'm the first one out no you're not!"
Owlsey was joined by human resources department employees Sheila Ritchie and Phillip Burbage. The demonstration was organized by Civil Service Employee Association member Vanessa Sanford. She claims the city is not following its own guidelines for layoffs.
"There are some unclassified positions that should have been let go before they let these people who have five to twenty years of employment as classified civil servants."
Lexington Mayor Jim Gray's spokesperson Susan Straub says the three employees were supposed to be laid off last June but the Urban County Government managed to fund the positions an additional nine months.
She says, in looking at the budget for the next fiscal year, additional layoffs are likely. The most recent revenue projections have the city running in the red by as much as $25 million.