Ken Mecham, Board of Public Works (BPW) general manager, said the staff reduction would save the board about $120,000 a year in employee salaries and benefits.

Mecham said the positions were no longer necessary because of recently installed automated systems that have resulted in operational changes.

But what the board calls workforce reduction former water department employee Jay Campbell calls an unpleasant surprise that could mean financial problems ahead for him and his family.

“I had been there 19 years, six months,” Campbell said of the licensed water plant operator job he had until Sept. 12.

Campbell said Mecham told him he was losing his job because the BPW was over budget. “They don’t give anybody lay-off notice. They walk in five minutes before your shift is over and say you’re done; get out,” said Campbell.

Mecham said the water department job was eliminated because plant automation has reduced the number of hours someone is required to be physically present.

“We were able to do that because of a very significant investment in supervisory control and data acquisition technology,” Mecham said.

He said the system monitors various plant processes and functions and remotely sends an alert to an on-call employee.

Mecham said the plant operator on call accesses data on a laptop computer and determines what action, if any, is needed.

Campbell questioned whether the water plant could be properly operated with only two remaining employees. “Your water’s not sampled on weekends anymore, and the plant’s not being maintained like it used to be,” Campbell said.

He said water sampling and testing used to be conducted at least once daily.

“Now it’s Monday through Friday but if there’s a holiday in there, like this Thanksgiving, there’ll be four days that your water’s not tested,” Campbell said.

He said instruments that chart various aspects of water quality and production aren’t always reliable.

“Yeah, an alarm goes off if your chlorine goes too high, but the chatterbox and computer system they put in there doesn’t always work right,” he said.

Mecham said workforce reductions would in no way affect the safety or delivery of BPW products or services.

“We’re in full compliance with state and federal regulations,” he said.

Mecham said electric department staff was increased a few years ago as the BPW worked on rebuilding segments of the system and replacement and upgrades of the city’s main power line along Savannah Road.

When the projects were finished, the electric department was overstaffed, and he said its workforce was reduced in March.

Mecham said the front office position was eliminated when the BPW moved into its new facility in the recently renovated and expanded City Hall building.

He said an outside company prints, folds, inserts and mails full-page billing statements, which provide customers with comprehensive utility usage information.

Mecham said billing system automation has also made it possible for customers to pay bills online in a number of ways.

He said compared to projected figures, the water department has a budget shortfall of about $199,000, and the wastewater/water reclamation department has a shortfall of about $70,000.

Mecham said electric department revenue is slightly ahead of projection, despite higher power-purchase costs and increased customer demand.

He said there are no immediate plans in the current budget for additional cuts in personnel, projects or services.

The BPW is working with a six-month budget.

A new budget would go into effect April 1, 2010. The staggered budget schedule will synchronize the BPW’s budget with that of the city – a coordination that has never before been in place.

Although jobless in a tough economy, Campbell says he doesn’t bear any grudges against the BPW or city. “But I do think things could have been done differently to save money and kept people in their jobs – not only mine but other people’s, too.” Campbell said he’s eligible for unemployment compensation, but it would provide only about half the monthly income of the job he once had.

“Now I don’t know if can afford all my bills,” he said.