The lack of a state budget hit home Thursday as the Blair County Planning Commission board voted to reduce hours of the planning commission office staff.

The staff members — Planning Director David McFarland, transportation planner Wesley Burket, strategic planner Sherry Socie, regional planner MacKenzie Caron and planning aid Rhonda Kelly — will see their wages cut 50% from Nov. 3 through Jan. 23, according to a motion made by secretary Todd Lewis following a 70-minute executive session.

“The bottom line is they don’t have enough money to pay us,” Socie said.

The employees will be eligible for partial unemployment compensation, Lewis said.

The planning commission office will remain open.

“The office will maintain a Monday through Friday schedule. There will always be someone in the office, (but) your staff person may not be there at that point in time,” McFarland said.

Socie said she was told Oct. 3 that there “may be some changes.”

“We were told Oct. 31 may be our final day. We were told to tell municipalities we would close at the end of Oct. 31. We need answers today, this is completely unacceptable,” Socie said before the decision was announced. “It is frustrating. One coworker said it is like going through a test and knowing it is cancer; we have been waiting for the results for the last 27 days.”

On Oct. 21, McFarland sent out an email to notify municipalities that some cuts may be made as the result of a lack of a state budget.

“These cuts are hitting in all sectors, and Blair Planning is not exempt from the impact of the impasse. As a result, we have depleted our operating account and are now operating on funds in our stabilization fund. These funds are not extensive but were put in place to provide time for an orderly reduction in services and eventual shut down if it becomes necessary. Blair Planning will be reducing services effective Nov. 1 and continuing at least through the month of November and likely into December,” McFarland said in the email.

That means staff availability would be greatly reduced; development reviews would continue, but response times may be slower than normal; ordinance and plan reviews would also continue in a similar fashion; transportation planning would continue at a reduced level and most other services would be suspended.

Representatives of several municipalities showed up in support of the staff members.

“I was happy to see the support from the municipalities who showed up for us. I think that the ones who are going to suffer are the members of the community and municipalities who rely on our services,” Caron said.

Like Socie, Frankstown Township Manager Henry Fownes said he was upset by the lack of communication.

“I think it is unfortunate where we are in regards to the budget and state. If it were a normal year this would not be an issue,” said Antis Township Manager Doug Brown.

Meanwhile, McFarland said the situation will be further discussed at the Dec. 11 meeting.

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.