In line with the city’s cost-cutting scheme, about 10 street and sanitation employees were laid off in Bessemer City, Alabama. The job cuts were aimed to generate savings amidst the financial crisis in Bessemer. The affected employees were those who had been working with the Street and Sanitation department for less than one year. Bessemer now has nearly 475 city workers, plus another 200 employees in the city’s utilities department.

Bessemer Mayor Kenneth Gulley expressed his sentiments over the recent layoff. He said that the cuts were inevitable despite his opposition. “I prefer not to lay off anybody, but it’s just a necessary situation.” Gulley added that the lay offs were not made until after Christmas to give consideration to those impacted staff. Gulley revealed that the laid off workers will be rehired if needed. “The street and sanitation department was overstaffed. If more employees are eventually needed, those laid off workers would get first priority.”

About 10 more workers were axed a few weeks ago, including the city’s new parks and recreation director, as the Bessemer officials tried to mend the budget crisis. Gulley mentioned that alternative solutions will be considered to avoid further layoffs. “If adjustments are necessary, then the adjustments will be made.”