City of Anadarko lays off employees

ANADARKO, Okla. (AP) _ Anadarko officials say lower utility usage stemming from a cool summer have forced them to lay off 15 municipal employees. <br/><br/>Sewer, water and electric usage totals fell about

Sunday, October 17th 2004, 11:55 am

By: News On 6

ANADARKO, Okla. (AP) _ Anadarko officials say lower utility usage stemming from a cool summer have forced them to lay off 15 municipal employees.

Sewer, water and electric usage totals fell about $500,000 below projections.

City Manager Roy Rainey says cost-cutting measures helped decrease the deficit, but the city still had a $200,000 shortfall and layoffs were the only option.

Officials say eliminating the employees will save the city about $100,000 annually. The other half of the deficit is expected to be made up from a Medicare reimbursement owed from when the city operated the local hospital.

The city-run golf course lost four full-time and two part-time employees. The library lost two full-time and two part-time workers.

Rainey says officials won't know until December if any of the employees can be rehired later.