Barrow County cuts workers

WINDER - In an effort to reduce the county deficit, Barrow County has laid off 18 workers this week.

The county, which has about 400 employees, cut the workers Monday and Tuesday as part of plans to deal with a $5 million budget shortfall. Three other employees took early retirement.

The jobs ranged from the fire department to the tax commissioner's office.

The county has cut other expenses since the shortfall was announced in January, but it still faces a $1.6 million deficit. Previous cuts included eliminating holiday pay, salary reductions and a hiring freeze.